Authorities this week arrested a woman believed to be involved in the violent assault of a 92-year-old man while he was walking in the Willowbrook area on the Fourth of July. Laquisha Jones, 30, was arrested Tuesday and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly hitting the man with a concrete block. Her bail was set at $200,000.
Sheriff’s detectives are seeking additional information about other possible suspects involved in the incident which Century Station officials do not believe was a hate crime although early reports allege she told the man to “go back to Mexico.”
The attack occurred about 7 p.m. July 4 at 118th and Robin streets, according to sheriff’s Detective Matt Luna of the Century Station. The victim was identified by his family on a GoFundMe page as Rodolfo Rodriguez.
“My grandfather … was going for his daily walk around the block when he was assaulted by an African American lady and five other guys,” according to the family statement on the page. “He is doing really bad, has a lot of bruises on his face and a broken cheekbone.”
Donations to help the injured man have reached about $34,000 at press time.
Luna said the man was attacked by a Black woman in her 30s who was walking with a young girl. Witnesses have said the woman may have thought the man bumped the child when he walked by the woman and a group of men.
“He was hit with an object and he lost consciousness,” Luna said. “A witness saw the female and two or three men assaulting him.”
Luna said a cell phone image of the female suspect was provided to authorities.
The woman who took the photo and a video of the bloodied victim on the ground after the attack told ABC7 the assailant pushed the man to the ground and beat him.
“The woman pushed him and … (picked) up the block of concrete and she (hit) him in his head many times,” she said. “That’s why it’s very bad.”
In the cell phone photo, the assailant can be seen standing by a young girl, and holding a piece of concrete in her hand.
Margie Morris, who lives in the area, called the assailant “mean and cruel.”
“She was evil. Because who would harm an old man like that?” Morris told ABC7.
Anyone with information on the crime is urged to call the sheriff’s Century Station at (323) 568-4800.
