A man described as elderly was left in critical condition after being beaten on a downtown street, allegedly by a mentally ill homeless man who was taken into custody after being pepper sprayed by a security guard.
The victim was attacked at about 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the area of Grand and Olive streets, according to Sgt. J. Sterling, watch commander at the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Station.
The attack appeared to be random, according to Sterling, who said the suspect, who has mental issues, walked up to the victim and beat him up, causing critical injuries.
The beaten man was taken to a hospital.
Bystander video sent to ABC7 showed the victim lying motionless on the sidewalk with a pool of blood near his face.
The security guard, who was stationed at a Whole Food Market parking lot across the street from where the attack occurred, pepper sprayed the suspect and held him until police arrived and took him into custody.
“When I asked him what was his problem, he said, ‘He tried to rape me,’ ” the security guard, Waltay Simmons, told the station. “And then he turned and looked at me and started charging at me so I pulled out my pepper spray. (I) pepper sprayed and then he dropped all his stuff, tried to run away and then I tackled him to the ground and handcuffed him.”
–City News Service