Suspect allegedly spat on woman before tackling her in late-night store attack near UPenn campus
A man was captured on video last month suddenly lunging at a woman and punching her in the face during a late-night corner store attack just blocks from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia police announced Thursday.
Officials said the suspect allegedly spat on the woman before tackling her around 11 p.m. on April 22 in University City, a student-dense neighborhood with high foot traffic but is typically considered safe.
The confrontation reportedly stemmed from a verbal argument that escalated inside the store.
"The argument escalates and the male spits on the woman and begins punching her in the face before leaving the scene in an unknown direction," officials said.
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Police have released surveillance video of the altercation and said they are still searching for the male suspect, who was wearing all black clothing and a hat featuring a logo of the Philadelphia Eagles.
In the footage, both the suspect and the victim had entered the store at the same time, with the man trailing behind the woman.
As the woman continued walking down a store aisle, the suspect appeared to linger near the entrance and began arguing with her, visibly agitated.
After the woman responded, video showed the man charging forward and throwing several forceful punches to her head, causing her to slam into store shelves and collapse on the floor.
As the violence erupted, a nearby bystander and an employee tried to confront the two but were ultimately unable to intervene.
A friend who was accompanying the suspect also appeared on camera, attempting to pull the suspect back from the attack.
The pair then fled the scene immediately afterward.
Police said the female victim suffered several injuries. She has been connected with victim assistance and advocacy services, according to Fox 29 Philadelphia, citing the police.
Anyone with information about the man is urged to call 215-686-TIPS or Southwest Detectives at 215-686-3183.