Gyllenhaal witnessed real violence during role research

Gyllenhaal and his co-star Michael Pena attended a police ‘ride along’ on Wednesday (13Jul11) while they were researching their parts for upcoming crimefighting drama End of Watch.

And the stars got a close-up look at an officer’s daily duties when they responded to a call for back-up at an alleged gang shoot-out.

Gyllenhaal and Pena arrived in time to see a paramedic treating a victim who was nursing bullet wounds on his lip and arm.

In video footage, captured by TMZ.com, the two can be seen watching as the injured man was loaded into an ambulance.