It happened on Jan. 7 around 1:15 a.m. at the Bombay Express on West Bellfort near Wilcrest.
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Authorities now say eight masked men, who were all armed, arrived at the location five minutes after it had closed and as employees were cleaning up for the night.
ORIGINAL STORY: Masked suspects terrorized victims during restaurant robbery in SW Houston
HPD searching for suspects who pistol-whipped victims during robbery
The employees were in the front of the business, while almost 20 people were in the back eating and playing pool.
Once they heard gunshots, the victims locked themselves in the room. The suspects later made their way inside that room. They were also caught on video using a hammer to break into some of the gaming machines.
During the robbery, police say the suspects fired their weapons.
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No one was seriously hurt, but people who went through the nightmare told ABC13 the masked suspects screamed at them, kicked them, ripped their jewelry, and several others were pistol-whipped in the head and face.
"They hit everybody. They tried to kill us. I thought, 'We're all gonna die tonight.' It's so traumatizing, like it was your last day," one victim said.
At least $30,000 was taken in total from the business and the victims inside. Police said the suspects also took surveillance equipment from the restaurant before fleeing, possibly in a white Ford Explorer.
Police said the suspects were all wearing dark clothing, and witnesses told them they overheard some of the suspects speaking Spanish.
Crime Stoppers may pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the charging and/or arrest of the suspects in the case.
To submit a tip anonymously, call 713-222-TIPS (8477) or online at crime-stoppers.org.