(WGHP) — Brothers Pizzeria owner Mike Scotto di Frego wants to make sure no one else is attacked like he was at his restaurant on Sunday.

Winston-Salem Police Sgt. Kevin Bowers confirmed a fight broke out between five people as the West 4th Street pizza shop was about to close at 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

“There were two different patrons with tables in there and somehow an argument started and then, from the argument, a fight began, and then the business owner tried to break things up and he was assaulted,” Bowers said. 

Scotto di Frego told FOX8 he became a target after he tried to break up the fight between customers. He suffered multiple punches to the head, and while trying to get the people out of the store he was shoved and stomped on. 

Surveillance video shows several people walking toward the back of the restaurant as a conflict erupts. While Scotto di Frego, in a Brothers Pizzeria shirt, approaches the group, two more people come up from behind. The first pushes past him. The second starts punching him repeatedly, knocking him to the ground behind a table. In the video, Scotto di Frego is not visible behind the table, but the attacker appears to stomp on him repeatedly before walking toward the conflict at the back of the restaurant.

Scotto di Frego hopes the video helps find the people responsible for this assault.

Brothers Pizzeria in downtown Winston-Salem is one of multiple businesses changing hours, particularly closing on Fridays and Saturdays at midnight instead of 3:00 a.m., in response to recent violence.  

He said making an extra $1,000 after midnight was not worth the risk anymore. 

Some restaurant owners in Greensboro have also decided to close earlier and avoid the risk.  

“We just can’t do this anymore,” said Brandon Ward, the manager of Jake’s Pub and Billiards. “There was just a shift of how people were acting late night.” 

New hours are on display at the pub located on Spring Garden Street. It used to be open until 2 a.m., but now it’s midnight.  

“It’s two hours every single day, that does add up but to have that, I guess to know you’re safe when you go home is kind of worth it,” Ward said. 

Ward told FOX8 the changes were needed after reopening during the pandemic and a recent string of crime in the area.  

“It’s really sad that we can’t be that constant in people’s lives but I hope we can get back to that,” he said. 

If you recognize anyone in the video or have any information about the assault, contact Winston-Salem Police Department at (336) 773-7700.