A world-class MMA fighter says he is the latest victim of Bay Area crime. Thom Jensen reports.
A world-class MMA fighter says he is the latest victim of Bay Area crime.
In an interview with NBC Bay Area Friday, UFC fighter Song Yadong said he was robbed at gunpoint and his friend Nan Lin was pistol whipped at a Vallejo gas station Wednesday morning.
The incident happened at about 2 a.m. at the Royal gas station on Tennessee Street in Vallejo.
“They all had ski masks on. Every single one,” Lin said.
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Lin told NBC Bay Area that he had just purchased a bottle of water when he turned around and saw one of the young men with a gun pointed right in his face. And he was pulling at the gold chains around Lin’s neck.
“He took my chain, one of my rings, everything in my pockets and once he got ahold of my car keys, he unlocked the car," he said.
Yadong was resting inside and woke up as at least two of the four men started getting into the car.
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“That’s when I realized the man already put a gun in front of my head,” he said.
Yadong said he was shocked to see a gun in his face and he gave the thieves a necklace, a wallet and his phone because he might be tough but he says he knows better than to fight someone with a gun.
“You know, it’s a real gun. If he moves his finger, you’re done. No chance to be the world champion,” he said.
Lin said that he couldn’t convince a worker at the gas station to call 911 and he became so upset that he regrettably hit a window with a golf club from his trunk.
Both men are also expressing frustration for what they say is lawlessness in the Bay Area.
“I kind of grew up in the Bay Area. Always loved the Bay Area. Now, if there’s not a reason to go to the Bay Area, I wouldn’t and I think that’s just sad,” Lin said.
“My friend told me don’t go out at night. But this is my first time and it’s real dangerous,” Yadong said.
A manager at the gas station said surveillance video of what happened early Wednesday morning has already been deleted.
The gas station manager also declined to talk to NBC Bay Area about what happened that night and why police weren’t called immediately but police are involved now.
Vallejo police took a witness statement from Lin on Friday afternoon.
