LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The LAPD is hoping surveillance video can lead them to a suspect they said beat and attempted to sexually assault an 80-year-old woman inside her Hollywood apartment, near Ivar.
According to the LAPD, the suspect — a man believed to be in his early 20s, was wearing a hoodie that said Penn State on the front.
Police said after attempting to sexually assault the woman, the suspect severely beat her. The victim, reports CBS2’s Dave Lopez, is in critical condition following the attack.
She was able to fight him off and he fled, police said.
The attack occurred around 4 a.m. Saturday.
“It’s a secure building,” said LAPD Captain Billy Hayes, “the suspect hit the buzzer a number of times. And someone in the building let him in.”
Before being heavily sedated, the victim told police someone was banging on her door and she slightly opened it.
That is when he pushed the door in and attempted to sexually assault the woman, police said.
“You have an 80-year-old woman who was able to fight him off,” said Hayes, “she was very feisty. She was able to defend herself enough that it deterred him. And he chose to leave.”
The suspect fled on foot. The suspect is described as a black male with black hair, brown eyes. He is 6 feet tall and weighs about 220 pounds. In addition to the Penn State hoodie, he was wearing black baggie jeans, and black shoes.
Following the attack, the victim was able to stagger down the hallway and get aid from neighbors.
Police believe the attack was random.
The victim lived alone but family members are at her hospital bedside, Lopez reported.
