A typical, slow evening shift this month inside a Manhattan pizzeria turned into a nightmare after a defiant customer refused to take his pit bull outside. Believe me… whatever you think happened, what really happened was worse.

The scene unfolded at the Roma Pizza shop on 5th Avenue in the Flatiron District. NYPD officials say on the evening of Aug. 19, Tyshaun Watson, 35, entered the restaurant with his pit bull, who wasn’t on a leash. One Roma employee tells PIX11 Watson refused to leave when the evening manager, Zack, asked him to exit with the dog (according to the New York City law that prohibits dogs in public places to be unleashed). The two then got into a heated argument.

“Due to sanitation laws, there are no pets allowed in the store. Apparently, told him to go eat outside and the guy took it personal,” they said.

The argument quickly turned into a physical altercation. Police said surveillance camera footage captured Watson dragging the manager outside the pizzeria, slamming his body onto the ground and punching him repeatedly. He then took a break before returning to kick Zack in the head several times, authorities said.

Where was the K-9 during this ordeal, you ask? Police say Watson’s pit bull joined the fight, jumping on top of the manager and biting him all over his body. The incident left Zack with life-threatening injuries. Authorities said he was in critical condition at the time he was rushed to Bellevue Hospital and had to be intubated.

While Zack fights for his life in the hospital, Watson is about to fight for his life in the courts after being charged with first-degree assault and second-degree attempted murder. While headed to court Tuesday, Watson told reporters with The New York Post he was sorry for his actions and that he didn’t mean to do it.

“My thoughts and prayers go out to the victim. I wish him a speedy recovery,” said Watson. Oh! And his dog was taken by the NYPD.