Street Vendor Hospitalized After Vicious Attack In Baldwin Hills

BALDWIN HILLS (CBSLA) — A vicious attack in Baldwin Hills has left a street vendor badly beaten and hospitalized.

CBS2's Jo Kwon spoke with people who say Margarito Muñoz had been selling fruit next to a bus stop at the intersection of La Brea and Coliseum for the past few months.

Detectives say last Friday a man ordered fruit from Muñoz and allegedly refused to pay. Police say that's when a second man arrived and attacked Muñoz with some sort of pipe. Police say the two took cash from his cart and took off in a white commercial van.

A LAPD spokesperson says Muñoz is now in a hospital.

The bus stop is near these apartments, businesses, and this gas station that has several cameras pointed in the direction of the bus stop.

Alesha Rone, who lives nearby, says she saw Muñoz often. She's not surprised by the attack.

"There's always stuff happening around here. It's very dangerous around here actually," she said.

Another man said a female street vendor was also recently attacked in the area.

"A lady who was selling corn, she got robbed," he said.

The LAPD did not have information about that robbery.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the victim of the most recent attack.