Watch CBS News

Police Nab Woman Suspected Of Attacking Tourist In Santa Monica Coffee Shop

SANTA MONICA (CBSLA.com) — Police say they've arrested a woman suspected in an unprovoked attack on a tourist at a Westside coffee shop.

The woman allegedly yanked the victim's hair at a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf last week in Santa Monica, according to Santa Monica police.

Barbara Lowy tells CBS2/KCAL9 that before she was assaulted the woman had stormed into the cafe arguing with someone on her cell phone and sat at the table next to her and her family.

The Lowy family say woman was shouting and cursing to whoever was on the other line.

The woman was well-dressed and didn't appear to be homeless, they said.

Lowy says she felt uncomfortable when the suspect described what she was wearing to whomever was on the phone, so she got up to leave.

"Suddenly, I felt somebody pull on my hair. All I remember is that I spun around, my neck snapped back, and all I could see was the ceiling," she said. "She also said to me while I was on the ground, 'I'm going to come back with a machine gun and shoot you.'"

Lowy's husband tried to stop the woman from leaving and punched her. She still managed to get away.

Barbara Lowy was taken to a hospital for a pulled vertebrae and has had to wear a neck brace.

She and her family had been visiting from New York.

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.