A suspect 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 a felony battery suspect 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.
No information about the suspect was released.
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.”
Gardia 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 nearly $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 suspect is seen repeatedly striking the woman — as some bystanders attempt to intervene and eventually pull the suspect away.
“Since sharing what happened, so many kind and generous people around the world have already reached out wanting to help — and it has truly meant the world to our family,” the vendor’s son wrote on the GoFundMe page. “All funds raised will go directly toward therapy and professional support so she can begin to heal emotionally and mentally.”
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 was urged to call the LAPD’s Central Station at 213-486-6606.