A 19-year-old woman allegedly involved in an altercation with a 62-year-old street vendor who was thrown to the ground and repeatedly punched during the fight — which was caught on video and circulated on social media — was in custody Thursday.
The Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Division confirmed on X that the woman had been taken into custody in connection with the June 15 fight involving vendor Arabelia Martinez. The confrontation occurred around 4 p.m. that day in the 700 block of Figueroa Street.
The suspect, identified as Harmunie Heaven Church, was booked on suspicion of felony battery causing great bodily injury, with bail set at $50,000.
Police said the case has been presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for official filing consideration.
In a social media post Thursday, Martinez’s son — Constantino Garcia — also said an arrest had been made.
“We are incredibly relieved to share that the individual who assaulted our mom is now in custody,” Garcia wrote. “We are deeply grateful to Detectives Roman and Aguirre of the LAPD, who have stood by our family every step of the way. We also want to thank the people of Los Angeles, and everyone around the world, for the incredible outpouring of love, prayers and support.
“Our mom is home resting and we are overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity you have shown us. Your support is helping ensure she receives the care she needs as she continues to recover during this difficult time.”
Garcia said earlier that the suspect harassed his mother, saying she had no legal right to be a street vendor and telling her to go back to Mexico, among other racially charged statements.
According to a GoFundMe campaign launched by Garcia, Martinez was “physically and emotionally shaken” as a result of the pummeling she received, and her hot dog cart and equipment were damaged.
As of Thursday, the page had raised $120,000.
Video showed part of the altercation, during which the suspect apparently squirted some kind of sauce on the vendor’s hot dogs and car, prompting Martinez to toss a powdery substance at the suspect. A physical altercation ensues in which Martinez is eventually thrown to the ground, and the woman is seen repeatedly striking the vendor — as some bystanders attempt to intervene and eventually pull her away.
On TikTok, a woman claiming to be the other combatant in the fight denied using any racial slurs toward Martinez or asking about her right to be a street vendor. The woman — who is Black — claims it was the vendor who instigated the confrontation by refusing to sell her food.
“When I walked up to her, I had money,” the woman says in a series of TikTok videos posted Tuesday. “She told me, `Me no serve your people.’ So yes, I retaliated, and I put Chamoy on her hot dogs. But I did nothing physical to her, to her physically, to her. Maybe to her belongings, but not to her. She physically attacked me first.”
The woman claims the vendor threw Tajin powder at her, which felt like pepper spray in her eyes.
“You thought I was just going to sit there and let her throw Tajin on me?” the woman says.
“I had no intentions on hurting her or attacking her,” the woman says. “… But after she threw Tajin and attacked me, like what, I was just supposed to walk away with Tajin on my face, my eyes burning? No, I’m not doing that.”
She also questioned why the video of the altercation was only posted online recently, suggesting the vendor and her family were using the incident to make money through the GoFundMe page.
“They are using this as a platform to make more money,” she said.
Anyone with information about the incident was urged to contact Detective Roman at 213-709-9017. Calls during non-business hours should be directed to 877-527-3247. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.