Store manager injured during robbery at southeast Fresno El Pollo Loco

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Police are searching for a suspect who robbed an El Pollo Loco and injured one of the managers in southeast Fresno Saturday morning.

The manager is recovering from head injuries after police say the suspect pistol whipped him when he entered the fast food chain through the back door. Employees say they'll be scared until the man responsible is caught.

A few minutes after 8 a.m. Saturday morning, Fresno police say a manager of the El Pollo Loco off Kings Canyon and Winery Avenues was getting ready to open when he heard a buzz at the back door which he thought was a cook coming in for his shift.

"So, he doesn't look, check outside to see who's there, he opens the door, suspect's there armed with a handgun, tries to get in, manager tries to get him out and then the suspect hits him in the head several times with the handgun, black semi-automatic handgun," Lt. Joe Gomez with the Fresno Police Department explained.

Police say the suspect held the manager at gunpoint and went right to the safe, demanding him to open it. He then stole about $1,500 and took off.

Police describe the suspect as a Hispanic male in his early 20s

"Very unusual, very unusual, it indicates he knew something about the operation," Gomez said.