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A man the LAPD has identified as Gustavo Aranda is seen on surveillance video fighting with women in the Bio Laque Nail Salon on Burbank Boulevard east of Woodman Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018, after he allegedly carjacked a Toyota SUV earlier in the morning. (Image from surveillance video provided by the LAPD)
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The women in the Bio Laque Nail Salon in Sherman Oaks fight back after a man the LAPD has identified as Gustavo Aranda began attacking them. The suspect had hit them with chairs, and they took those same chairs and hit him back on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018, at the Burbank Boulevard business. Another woman summoned help from a nearby business, and a group of men managed to hold the suspect down until police arrived. (Image from surveillance video provided by the LAPD)
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A 25-year-old Chatsworth man charged with attacking women at a nail salon in Sherman Oaks and carjacking among other charges has pleaded not guilty, authorities announced on Tuesday.
Authorities said Gustavo Aranda made the plea Monday to one felony count each of carjacking; second-degree robbery; assault with a deadly weapon, a chair; assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury; and vandalism over $400.
RELATED STORY: Police link suspect in Sherman Oaks nail salon attack to more crimes
Aranda also is charged with one misdemeanor count of simple battery, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday.
Authorities said the defendant, whose case was filed for warrant on Feb. 2, is set to return to court on Feb. 16 in Van Nuys.
RELATED STORY: Sherman Oaks nail salon women fight off carjacking suspect — and it’s all on video
City News Service reported Aranda’s alleged attack — captured on video — involved sisters Melda and Virginia Martinez-Bojorquez.
“We alternated. When he was on top of her, I came and fought with him to rescue her. And when he turned his attention to me and started attacking me, she came to my aid,” one of the sisters said through a Spanish interpreter last week.
Rene Solis, CNS reported, was among those who rushed to the aid of the women after a salon employee rushed out of the business to get help.
“They were battling each other with chairs and stuff, so by the time I got … real, real in the battle, he just stopped,” Solis said to the news service. “He just decided to sto,p and then at that same time, he was just mumbling, you know, ‘Just kill me now,’ ” Solis said. “I saw how badly wounded he was, so I just looked over to them (the sisters) and I was, like, ‘Wow, I’m impressed.’ ”
The LAPD posted a video of the attack on YouTube which as of Wednesday morning has generated more than 37,300 views.
Aranda was charged with carjacking a man on Jan. 31 as he exited his vehicle before attacking a second victim and robbing him, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday.
Soon after, authorities said, he entered a nail salon and attacked an employee and two customers before good Samaritans intervened to stop the attack and detain Aranda.
If convicted as charged, Aranda faces a possible maximum sentence of more than 12 years in state prison.
Los Angeles police previously said the carjacked vehicle was found on Feb. 1.
In an interview last week, LAPD Detective Cheun said Aranda was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries after the attack at the nail salon.
The salon is Bio Laque Nails, at 13650 Burbank Blvd. in Sherman Oaks, just east of Woodman Avenue. Authorities released video of the attack at the nail salon last week.
In the video, some of the women can be seen fighting back using what looks like portable folding tables before the man leaves and comes back swinging one of the tables and hitting one of the victims.
The victims fought back again before employees from a neighboring business arrived and apprehended the suspect, authorities said.
Cheun added the victims, who were in their mid to late 40s, and who were “obviously were defending themselves.” They sustained minor bumps and scratches.
The LAPD continued to investigate the case, authorities said.
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