Sacramento Mothers Say Attack At McKinley Park Will Make Them 'More Cautious'

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Moms at McKinley Park are now looking over their shoulders after a woman was attacked in front of her children.

Sacramento police say the mother of two was assaulted near the corner of Alhambra Boulevard and G Street. Police say it all started with the suspect pushing that mom and then punching her multiple times as she was getting her kids buckled up in the car.

"It's going to make me more cautious of my surroundings and be more vigilant," Qora Ain said.

"It's really scary, really scary," Hannah Terrell said.

It was just around lunchtime on Saturday when police say Christian Glazier, 24, pushed a mother of two as she was getting her kids loaded in the car — but it didn't stop there.

Investigators say Glazier repeatedly punched the woman in the head and face before taking off. Police say the suspect is homeless.

"It's terrible," Terrell said. "Seems like there's a lot of that going around lately."

Terrell visits McKinley Park at least once a week. She says it's getting hard to navigate the neighborhood.

Gretchen Jess has been coming since here daughter Ruby was a baby. She says she just finished explaining the case of Emma Roark — the Rancho Cordova woman whose body was recently found in the American River Parkway.

"I've been trying to teach her and make her aware without being too scared that this happens to women," Jess said.

The suspect in that case was 37-year-old Mikilo Rawls. Police say he, too, is believed to be homeless.

"You can't unsee this. This is as bad as it gets," said Chief Deputy Jim Barnes with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office after Rawls' arrest. "The sheriff's office is sympathetic to the transient population. We understand that people are experiencing hard times but there is evil amongst them and that's what Mr. Rawls was."

Back at McKinley Park, police continue to investigate and encourage visitors to remain vigilant. Police say the victim suffered minor injuries.

We asked investigators if there has been an increase in the number of crimes committed by homeless. We are still waiting for them to provide us with that data.