Video Released Of Disturbing Attack, Attempted Robbery Of Woman In Downtown LA

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Investigators Tuesday were working to identify a person who attacked and dragged a woman in downtown Los Angeles in an attempt to rob her.

The woman was walking about 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28 in the area of Flower and 11th streets when a man ran up from behind, threw the victim to the ground and dragged her into an alley in an attempt to steal her purse and cell phone, according to Los Angeles police Officer Tony Im.

A parking valet came to the woman's aid and squared off with the suspect, who ran off before a physical altercation ensued, Im said.

"This person was so distracted with her phone she did not see the suspect run up on her," according to an LAPD tweet that advised people to always be aware of their surroundings.

The woman was OK after the attack, Im said.

Video of the attack left residents in the area shaken.

"He's got a lot of energy. He like vigorously drags her down the street. Kinda looked like he was gonna box the guy," resident Brad Girod said. "If it's 6:30, you can't avoid walking around at 6:30 –  just gotta be cognizant of who's around and be really careful. That's kind of the scary thing."

A description of the suspect was not made available, but anyone who recognizes him from the video was urged to call the LAPD at 877-LAPD-24-7.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)