Shocking security video shows robber shoot restaurant customer point blank in the face during robbery in NYC

A shocking and graphic security video captured the moment an armed robbery shot a bystander in the face after robbing a restaurant in New York City on Wednesday.

The 37-year-old victim is in critical condition, and police are seeking to identify a suspect.

Surveillance video showed the suspect order food at the Seafood King Fish Market on Broadway in Washington Heights before leaving the restaurant. He returned later to use the bathroom and rob the place.

Just before 2 a.m. another person was eating at the counter when the suspect returned and walked up to the counter while pulling out a gun. He ordered the woman behind the counter to put the money from the register in a plastic bag. He also stole her property as well as the customer's property.

As he turned to leave, he aimed his gun at the customer's head and pulled the trigger once, shooting him in the cheek.

The customer fell to the ground immediately.

"I don't know if the victim saw it coming, the victim just had his property taken, cell phone and money while he was eating, and I'm sure he was watching the encounter with the second victim who was an employee at the location," said Lt. John Russo of the Commander Investigative Coordinator Detective Bureau.

"And it just seemed as the perpetrator was running out the door, he turned around and fired a shot, striking the victim," he added.

The victim was transported to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital where he is in stable condition, according to police.

Unedited video of the gruesome shooting was circulated on social media. WABC-TV blurred the images of the victims and cut the video before the moment of the shooting.

One important clue might be the distinctive blue handgun used by the suspect.

"We've recovered one 9-millimeter shell casing at the scene," Russo said. "You know, we'll forensically process that to see if it matches any of the shell casings on the face and that it doesn't appear to fit any other robberies or patterns that we have going on in the area."

The waitress who witnessed the shooting is said to be terrified of returning to work.

Police said the suspect was about 5'5" with a medium complexion and wearing all black, including a ski mask and a jacket.

Here's a news report about the attack:

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