UCI student punched, kicked while interviewing homeless

[symple_googlemap title=”Santa Ana attack” location=”26 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA” height=”300″ zoom=”13″]

A UC Irvine student was attacked by a transient while interviewing the homeless as part of a project in the Santa Ana civic center area, police said Friday.

The student was speaking with homeless people who frequent the area near the main library at 26 Civic Center Plaza about 9:45 p.m. Thursday when he put his bag down and another transient swiped it, according to Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.

The attacker, who was in his mid-20s, ran away with the bag, prompting the student to give chase, Bertagna said.

The attacker turned on the victim in a walkway west of the library and punched him several times, knocking him to the ground, Bertagna said. The attacker also kicked the student several times in the upper chest area, Bertagna said.

The victim lost a cell phone, $40 and a book in the attack, Bertagna said.

The victim complained of pain to his ribs and suffered scratches to his face, Bertagna said.

— City News Service