FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Fort Lauderdale police on Wednesday released surveillance video of an individual who they say is wanted in the violent attack of a woman and her 12-year-old son and announced a reward for information that leads to his arrest.
Police said the attack happened around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 1000 block of Northwest Fifth Avenue.
Investigators are asking anyone who recognizes the individual shown in the video above or picture below to come forward.
The mother on Wednesday told Local 10 News that she was walking her son, who has autism and is nonverbal, to a school bus stop when a man approached from behind and attacked him with what she described as a heavy, mallet-like object.
She said she stepped in to protect her son and was then struck in the head.
“Some guy just comes behind us, out the blue. My son is non-verbal, he’s disabled – that’s sad,” the woman, who identified herself only as Chrissy, said on Tuesday. “He just comes and tells him something and attacks him, and then I had to intercept and get in front (of him) and then he attacks me.”
Police said the woman suffered a cut to the back of her head, while the boy suffered an abrasion to his face. Both were taken to Broward Health Medical Center for treatment.
Chrissy later told Local 10 News her son also suffered internal damage to one of his eyes but is not blind.
The culprit fled before officers arrived, police said.
Detectives asked anyone with information about the culprit or the attack to contact Detective Leon Pabon of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit at 954-828-4675.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477. A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information leading to the culprit’s identification.
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