Friends speak out for beloved Los Angeles taco street vendor recovering from violent carjacking [Video]

Friends and community members are spreading support for the recovery of beloved taco street vendor Jose Ayala Martinez, also known as “El Tigre.”

“He named himself that a long time ago because he’s always strong,” said his good friend William Wolf. “He’s a very big fighter, and he’s fighting right now as we speak.”

Martinez is recovering at Los Angeles General Medical Center after he almost lost his life during a Tuesday night carjacking in Los Angeles.

Reports say he was shot three times during the attack — once in the mouth, neck and shoulder, all before he drove himself a mile away to safety and called for help.

Martinez is currently unable to speak because a bullet was fired through his jaw by the gunman.

“You try to make sense of all this because I can’t, I can’t at all,” expressed Wolf.

The 69-year-old taco and Mexican snack vendor was a fixture at the corner …