Police said two suspects were arrested after a private party at Zaya Restaurant turned violent on Sunday afternoon.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A dispute over a restaurant bill at a downtown Los Angeles eatery turned into a stabbing and bottle attack Sunday, leaving five women hurt and sending police and firefighters to a busy stretch of West Seventh Street, authorities said.
Investigators said the violence broke out as a private party was ending at Zaya Restaurant in the city’s downtown core. Two women were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, and officials said the injured women suffered wounds ranging from cuts to stab injuries. The case drew attention because of the number of victims, the public setting and the conflicting early counts from police and media reports as officers worked to sort out exactly how many people had been attacked and how the fight unfolded.
The disturbance began late Sunday afternoon as restaurant staff brought the bill to the party, according to accounts from authorities and people familiar with the response. At about 4:40 p.m., the gathering inside Zaya, in the 500 block of West Seventh Street near Seventh and Olive streets, was winding down when an argument broke out among women in the group. What started as a verbal clash quickly became physical. Police later said one woman pulled a knife while another used a bottle as a weapon. By just after 5:30 p.m., Los Angeles police were responding to reports of a stabbing inside the restaurant. Los Angeles Fire Department crews arrived soon after to treat multiple patients. The sudden rush of emergency responders turned a weekend dining scene into a crime scene, with officers moving witnesses aside and medics assessing victims on the floor and near the entrance.
Fire officials said four victims between the ages of 26 and 37 were treated by paramedics, and three women ages 26, 27 and 37 were taken to a hospital with minor stab wounds. A 28-year-old woman was reported in serious condition, according to fire officials cited in local coverage. Another woman with cuts to her face declined transport and left on her own, adding to the uncertainty in the first hours after the fight. Police said at least two people were taken into custody at the scene, and later reporting identified both as women who were also among those hurt. Authorities have not publicly released the names of the victims or suspects. Police have also not said whether alcohol played a role, whether anyone from the restaurant staff was injured or whether surveillance video clearly captured the start of the confrontation. By Monday, investigators said no additional suspects were being sought.
The violence unfolded in one of downtown Los Angeles’ busiest restaurant and nightlife corridors, where a private event at a high-energy venue can quickly draw a crowd. Zaya has marketed itself as a dining and entertainment destination, a format that often blends dinner service, music and private celebrations. That context helps explain why the scene was chaotic once the fight broke out: a large group was already gathered, the party was ending and staff were closing out the check when tensions rose. Early coverage reflected the confusion common after a fast-moving attack in a crowded room. Some reports initially said four people had been stabbed, while later accounts from fire and law enforcement officials counted five injured women and described the use of both a knife and a bottle. Those differences did not change the basic picture, but they showed how witness accounts and emergency tallies can shift as responders identify each patient and determine who needs transport.
As of Monday, the legal process appeared to be at an early stage. Police said the two women arrested face assault with a deadly weapon charges, but authorities had not yet announced whether the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office had formally filed a case. Detectives were expected to review witness statements, restaurant video, cellphone footage and medical records to decide whether additional charges were warranted. Investigators also still had open questions, including who first became violent, whether the knife was brought to the restaurant before the party began and whether the confrontation centered only on payment of the bill or was the latest step in an earlier dispute inside the group. Officials had not released a court date by Monday, and no public briefing had been announced beyond the initial police and fire updates. The next milestone in the case is likely the filing review, when prosecutors decide whether to proceed on felony counts or seek more investigation first.
Outside the restaurant, the aftermath was a sharp contrast to the celebratory mood that had reportedly filled the private event earlier in the day. Diners and bystanders watched as police cars lined the block and firefighters moved from one patient to the next. In a brief public statement after the violence, the restaurant said it was aware of the incident and stressed that guest and staff safety remained its priority. The statement also described the episode as something beyond the business’s control, underscoring how quickly an internal dispute among diners can spill over into a major emergency response. Police, for their part, kept their public comments narrow. Officers said only that a fight broke out inside the restaurant, multiple women were injured and two suspects were detained. That limited detail left many of the personal relationships and motives behind the conflict still unknown.
The case remained under investigation Monday, with two suspects in custody and no additional arrests announced. The next major development is expected when prosecutors decide whether to file formal charges and police release more detail about the victims, the weapons and the sequence of the fight.
Author note: Last updated March 24, 2026.