UT student film mistaken for LA robbery

LOS ANGELES (KXAN) - Los Angeles police came close to shooting student filmmakers from the University of Texas when the scene they were shooting looked way too real.

The film students were shooting a final scene for their student project when all of a sudden officers rained down on the liquor store.

A woman called police, thinking the store was being robbed, and reported two armed men were holding up the North Hollywood Liquor Store. What she didn’t know was the whole scene was part of Director Aaron Nunez’s movie.

“What happened was an old lady had came and knocked on the door and she had saw us filming and we told her we were filming and I don't think she could understand us that well,” Nunez said.

The police action caught the film crew by surprise. “There's nothing like hearing 30 well-armed police officers pulling off the safety of their guns at the same time,” said actor and UT student Jonathan Taub.

As the situation became real, the actors became part of their own version of a movie. Then someone on camera says, “They just brought a helicopter, did you see that? “

“When I was going down on the pavement the gun I had in my holster fell out onto the ground and I could feel like everyone tighten,” UT student Jason Lemmen said.

The production crew inside still had no idea what their lead actor and detective were facing until they were ordered, one by one, to come out with their hands up. Officers later learned it was all part of a school project called The Lion and the Bull.

“We're definitely laughing now. I mean, I feel kinda bad that we held up traffic and the cops wasted resources but, it's a funny story," Nunez said.

Nunez had a proof of permit but he apparently forgot to notify the Los Angeles Police Department beforehand.

Police didn't end up arresting any of the UT students.