Friend of Jessica Simpson Injured by Paparazzi

 After dinner at Madeo restaurant in Los Angeles, Ca., Jessica Simpson and her friends were bombarded by paparazzi that were waiting outside for Simpson and her friends to exit the restaurant. Ken Paves, hairstylist to the stars and one of Simpson’s closest friends, was hit in the face by a paparazzo’s camera. According to a source close to Simpson, Paves did not know he had been hit right away. The source said, “He seemed shocked at first. He said something to the photographer like, 'Dude, you just hit me,' but that's all he really said before getting into the car."According to E! News, an onlooker said, “There were so many paparazzi waiting for Jessica and trying to get a picture of her that they all started pushing. Jessica was ducking down and Ken Paves and her other male friend were trying to cover her and that's when Ken was hit in the face with a camera."One of Simpson’s friends waited until she and Paves were safely in their vehicle and shared some words with the paparazzo. Another eyewitness said, “It seemed like Jessica’s friend was just really frustrated because the photographers were overstepping their bounds and had just hit Ken in the head.”The eyewitness said that once Paves was in the car, “blood was running down his nose. I guess that’s when Jess and the driver realized Ken might need to get stitches, because they went straight to Cedars-Sinai [Medical Center].”Paves released a statement about the run-in outside Madeo saying, “"I appreciate everyone who has expressed concern after the incident which occurred outside of Madeo restaurant Saturday evening. While I did not expect a dinner out with friends would end up with me in the emergency room and nine stitches in my head, I am fine. My only real concern on Saturday night, and it remains so in retrospect, was for the safety of my friend and all concerned. I understand everyone has a job to do, including paparazzi. If I were to say anything about Saturday night, it is only to encourage that everyone would respect and care for the safety of others above all else."