Two NCIS: New Orleans actors sue CBS after they were 'nearly killed' during filming of jewelry store heist scene when armed cops turned up thinking it was real

Two NCIS: New Orleans actors and a jewelry store owner have launched a lawsuit against CBS after the filming of a heist scene in 2017 ended with real police officers holding them at gunpoint, believing an actual armed robbery was in progress.

The suit, filed in Los Angeles, accuses the network of orchestrating the ‘guerilla-style’ heist scene at a strip mall along West Judge Perez Drive in St. Bernard Parish on October 18, 2017, without obtaining proper permits, warning neighboring businesses or notifying local law enforcement, DailyMail.com can reveal.

As consequence, the owner of a neighboring store reportedly called 911 mid-scene after seeing the actors, who were wearing ski-masks and carrying dummy assault rifles, jump out from an unmarked van yelling, ‘This is a robbery!’

The call prompted dozens of heavily armed SWAT officers from the St. Bernard Police Department to descend on the scene, who then held the actors at gunpoint.

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Two NCIS: New Orleans actors and a jewelry store owner have launched a lawsuit against CBS after a 2017 shoot for a heist scene (shown above) ended with local police officers holding them at gunpoint, believing a real armed robbery was in progress.

In total, four extras were involved in the filming of the scene. Two of them, Justin T Lebrun  and Bradford Roublow , are named as Plaintiffs in the suit

The officers, reportedly armed with automatic rifles and large capacity magazines, burst into the store and pointed the weapons at the actors.

The plaintiffs, actors Justin T Lebrun and Bradford Roublow, and store owner Sulemon Virani, claim that had they not immediately complied with the officer's demands, they could have been killed with one false move. 

The plaintiffs say they tried desperately to explain they filming a segment for a television show but the officers pushed Roublow and Lebrun to the ground and handcuffed them.

According to the suit, one of the officers told the actors after the incident that police were 'coming in to kill you. If anyone had moved, we'd kill you.'

Another officer reportedly told the performers that they were 'a second or two' from being shot dead. 

As a result of the ‘terrifying and traumatizing experience’, the three men are suing CBS for unspecified damages.

Roublow and Lebrun were both diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after the incident, the lawsuit states. 

They also both 'continue to experience significant emotional and psychological trauma due to the near-death experience,' the filing continues.

The plaintiffs say they tried desperately to explain they filming a segment for a television show but the officers pushed Roublow and Lebrun to the ground and handcuffed them (a grab from the segment in question is seen above)

Jewelry store owner Sulemon 'Sol' Virani is also listed among the plaintiffs in the suit against CBS

Virani's store Sol's Jewelry, meanwhile, reportedly suffered a significant drop in business after the incident. The suit claims patrons declined to visit after 'word of mouth spread that it had been the site of a brazen daylight armed robbery'

Virani's store Sol's Jewelry, meanwhile, reportedly suffered a significant drop in business after the incident. The suit claims patrons declined to visit after 'word of mouth spread that it had been the site of a brazen daylight armed robbery'.

The two actors, as well as Virani, claim they were approached by NCIS producers in October 2017 about participating in the armed robbery scene.

The three men allege that they agreed to participate in the shoot under the assumption that it would be a ‘traditional television shoot’ operating with the necessary permits and safety protocols. However, they claim that turned out not to be the case.   

'CBS, in order to get a “guerilla style” realistic shot for one of its flagship shows, tricked and misled Mr. Virani, Mr. Roublow, and Mr. LeBrun, and nearly got them killed,' the suit states. 'The perils of “guerilla-style” television and film production are well known in the industry, and that’s why we have laws regulating productions. 

'CBS, a major corporation making millions from this hugely profitable show, flouted those laws and put Mr. Virani, Mr. Roublow, and Mr. LeBrun in great peril.'

As a result of the ‘terrifying and traumatizing experience’, the three men are suing CBS for damages claiming to still be suffering from the psychological effects of such an ordeal (the main cast of NCIS is pictured above)

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, accuses the network of orchestrating the ‘guerilla-style’ heist scene at a strip mall on West Judge Perez Drive in St. Bernard Parish October 18, 2017 without obtaining proper permits, warning neighboring businesses or notifying local law enforcement

In total, four extras were involved in the filming of the scene. Both Lebrun and Roublow,previously filed similar, separate lawsuits against CBS in 2018. 

In his March 2018 suit, Lebrun said he was working as a paid actor for NCIS: New Orleans in October 2017 when CBS and Danni Productions asked him to play the role a jewelry store robber. 

He said the scene came to a dramatic and terrifyingly realistic conclusion when ‘a squad of local police officers arrived on the scene with guns pointed’ at him and his fellow actors.

A letter from Lake Charles neuropsychologist Lawrence S. Silks submitted as part of the lawsuit said Lebrun suffered major depression, anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the ersatz robbery and subsequent police response.

He sought unspecified damages in excess of $75,000 to cover medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss wages and loss of enjoyment of life.

In October the same year, Roublow, representing himself, filed a suit of his own over the botched armed robbery scene.

In his filing, Roublow claims that plans for him and three others to do a photo double shoot for a different scene changed into the four of them staging the jewelry store robbery at the strip mall.

The four extras, all dressed in black suits with ski masks, arrived at the jewelry store carrying fake machine guns, he recounted in the suit.

‘The plaintiff and the three other extras, however, had no idea that the production was being shot at their own risk, ‘guerilla style’ or without any permits or notification of the police. Thus, any complications that may arise were solely their own responsibility,’ the complaint said.

A letter from Lake Charles neuropsychologist Lawrence S. Silks submitted as part of the lawsuit said Lebrun suffered major depression, anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the ersatz robbery and subsequent police response

In his original March 2018 filing , Lebrun said he was working as a paid actor for NCIS: New Orleans in October 2017 when CBS and Danni Productions had him play the role of ‘robbing’ a jewelry store and ‘a squad of local police officers arrived on the scene with guns pointed’ at him.

Police violently busted down the jewelry shop door and told everyone to get on the ground, Roublow claimed

Roublow accused Danni Productions, who were overseeing the shoot, of not wanting ‘want anyone to say anything about it as if trying to sweep the whole incident under the rug.’

After around three takes and 45 minutes into the film shoot, Roublow said he and the three other male actors were ‘suddenly and frighteningly confronted by the St. Bernard police about a reported jewelry store robbery.’

Police violently busted down the jewelry shop door and told everyone to get on the ground, he claimed.

‘Ready to act, the Chalmette Police Department had heavy artillery, including real machine guns with lasers, pointed at what they saw as four legitimate jewelry store robbers wearing ski masks and toting machine guns,’ the lawsuit states.

One of the actors on the scene was arrested for a bench warrant, and the others, including Roublow, were given their day rate and sent home, he said.

Roublow accused Danni Productions, who were overseeing the shoot, of not wanting ‘want anyone to say anything about it as if trying to sweep the whole incident under the rug.’

Roublow said that after reporting the incident, he stopped getting job offers for work on ‘NCIS: New Orleans.’

CBS has not yet responded to a DailyMail.com request for comment about the latest lawsuit.

TMZ reports that the network has responded by trying to have the suit thrown out of California court, as the episode was filmed in Louisiana.

However, the three men have pushed back. According to their lawyers, the California lawsuit is valid because NCIS: New Orleans is produced in Los Angeles.