Only On: New video comes to light in bizarre incident where man throws fire extinguisher at woman
Authorities are still investigating a bizarre series of events in West Los Angeles, where a man threw a fire extinguisher at the back of a woman's head before fleeing from the area.
The incident occurred Saturday Morning on Pico Boulevard, where the woman was walking when a man riding an e-scooter approached her from behind and threw a fire extinguisher, leaving her on the floor as he rode away.
New video has since come to light, procured by other business owners in the area who saw CBS Los Angeles's report on the attack and decided to check their surveillance footage. That video, also providing an alternate angle of the assault, shows the man riding away from the area, before a black van is caught on camera circling around to the scene. The driver then exits, grabs the fire extinguisher and removes a magnetic sign from his vehicle, leaving with the weapon.
"I saw the news report on CBS News and I recognized that pink and green fence, which is right across the street from my business," said James Crist, who owns a shop across the street from where the woman was assaulted. "Why would he take the weapon?"
Another shot of the van shows the magnetic sign, which appears to read "Alex Carpet Cleaning," along with two phone numbers.
The victim, who wishes to remain identified, said that someone in a black vehicle drove up to her after the incident and told her she was hit, but she couldn't confirm if it was the van shown in Crist's video. She suffered a concussion as a result of the attack.
"She had no idea, that was not even in her consciousness that she was being attacked," said the victim's boyfriend on Sunday. "Within about a block a man approached in a car and said, 'Are you okay, I saw that man assault you with a fire extinguisher.'"
The victim is hopeful that the driver will come forward and hand over the weapon, in hopes that the suspect can be identified.
She, along with many others living in the area, are left with a distinct feeling of unease in the wake of the attack.
"I walk around here all the time," said Ethel Roxas, who lives nearby. "It does make me feel nervous. It really is nerve-racking to think that this could happen in broad daylight.
While the events are "very scary," Crist said he isn't exactly surprised that it happened, based on the recent trend of crime he's noticed in the area.
"I've seen theft, I've seen graffiti, I've seen phyical attacks, like this one - all in this area I grew up in," he said. "It's a little frustrating when no accountability can ever be taken."
Police are still searching for the suspect, whom they've described as 6-feet tall and last seen wearing a black t-shirt and light-colored shorts.
