Tyshaun Watson: New Jersey Man Sentenced to 17 Years After Brutal Dog Attack on NYC Pizzeria Manager

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A New Jersey man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after a violent attack inside a Manhattan pizza shop left a manager fighting for his life.

The sentencing which took place on Thursday, January 16, 2026, closed a case that shocked workers and business owner across New York City.

Zakaria El Sherief 


The attack happened on the night of August 19, 2024, at Roma Pizza, located on Fifth Avenue between 19th and 20th Streets in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, New York.

Tyshaun Watson, 36, entered the pizza shop around 9:45 p.m. with his dog off a leash.

After Watson ordered food, he sat in the back of the dining area but the manager reminded him that dogs are not allowed inside New York City restaurants unless they are service animals.

The manager, 47-year-old Zakaria El Sherief told Watson several times that the dog could not remain inside due to health rules.

Minutes later, Watson approached the counter, and while the manager boxed the pizza, their exchange quickly turned violent.

Video from inside Roma Pizza showed Watson walking behind the counter and striking El Sherif. The attack lasted about four minutes and during that time, Watson’s dog also bit the manager. 

When El Sherif tried to get away, Watson followed him outside, allegedly put him in a chokehold, slammed him to the ground, and continued the assault while El Sherif begged Watson to stop.

After the attack, Watson returned to his seat and waited with his dog until police arrived and arrested him, as reported by CBS News.

El Sherif suffered severe injuries, including broken bones and a brain bleed. He was placed in a medically induced coma for two weeks and spent nearly two months in the hospital.

Doctors later described his recovery as “miraculous.”

El Sherief talking to Tyshaun Watson 


Chilling moment of some of the attacks 

Tyshaun Watson at his sentencing 


After he was charged, Tyshaun Watson pleaded guilty to the charges against him. He was originally charged with attempted murder and four counts of assault, but as part of a plea deal, he pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree assault, both felonies.

During his sentencing, tensions rose between Watson and the judge.

Watson claimed he took responsibility by staying at the scene and argued that video footage showed El Sherif was angry during their exchange. 

However, the judge quickly disagreed with him. She told Watson she had seen the video and said it clearly showed him going behind the counter to attack the employee. 

When Watson repeatedly interrupted, the judge warned she would replay the video in court and cancel the plea deal if her account was correct. However, the warning ended the argument.

Watson told the court he was intoxicated on the night of the attack and said he felt “a ton of remorse.” 

But the judge also disagreed, describing his actions as heinous and in the end, she sentenced him to 17 years in state prison, followed by five years of supervised release. 

She also made it clear she plans to closely monitor his future parole hearings.

“I’ll use everything in my power to make sure you stay in the entire 17 years,” the judge said.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the sentence sends a strong message about workplace violence.

“Tyshaun Watson is facing accountability for viciously attacking a pizzeria manager,” Bragg said.  

“This employee, who was just doing his job, suffered significant injuries and had to be placed in a medically induced coma for two weeks. No worker should ever have to fear for their safety.”

El Sherif was expected to give a victim impact statement during sentencing but was unable to attend due to health concerns, prosecutors said.

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