A family remains shaken up after a homeless man brutally attacked a 6-year-old girl as she was walking in Santa Monica.

The girl’s family, who was visiting California from the East Coast, was walking along Main Street on March 10 when the attack happened. 

As they exited an ice cream shop, the suspect, who was sitting at a nearby bus stop, suddenly approached them. Without provocation, he struck the young girl in the face and knocked her to the ground.

“It was awful,” said Christina Tullock, a friend of the girl’s family who had been showing them around town. “I was afraid he was going to hit her again. I was afraid that my friend was going to get hurt protecting his kid. I picked her up and we ran as far away as we could get quickly.”

Tullock was able to take a picture of the suspect on her phone as she called the police for help. She doesn’t know the man’s motives but believes he is homeless and was experiencing a psychotic episode at the time.

Tullock describes the suspect as a man between 25-35 years old. He has a tall figure and was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and black pants. 

“I don’t have training to deal with someone in a psychotic break,” Tullock said. “So, unless we have more protection, enforcement and mental healthcare, there’s nothing you can do.”

Nicole Niss, whose fitness studio is located in front of the bus stop where the attack happened, said she feels concerned the incident happened so close by.

“I think about the safety of my employees,” Niss said. “We’re here open until 9 o’clock during the week. They’re here until 9:30, it’s late. I always worry about them. Obviously, this person needs to be held accountable for violence, but there’s also probably deeper issues going on and I think that’s something the city really needs to be addressing.”

Some Santa Monica and Venice residents believe an increasing mental health crisis affecting the area needs to be tackled.

While local politicians have promised to address the issue, Tullock said it’s not enough to prevent an assault on a child. She now believes many coastal communities are no longer a safe place to visit. 

“I think the County Board of Supervisors, in particular for our case, Lindsey Horvath, needs to answer as to why we are continually asked to fend for ourselves as we live amongst people who are so sick and so ill,” Tullock said. “They are not doing their job managing it.”

Police are searching for the suspect who faces charges of child abuse and assault. The victim’s family said the young girl remains shaken up and is still recovering at home. Tullock said the family does not plan to visit Los Angeles again in the future.

L.A. County Supervisor Horvath responded to KTLA’s request for comment saying they’ve begun piloting a program that involves a therapeutic transport van staffed by members of the L.A. County Department of Mental Health. The team will focus on supporting people experiencing a mental health crisis while also supporting local law enforcement.

The pilot program only covers Santa Monica for now, but could eventually expand to other cities. Horvath said over the last few weeks, they’ve began a Pathway home operation that has housed around 25 people in Santa Monica so far.

The incident involving the young girl remains under investigation. For the girl’s safety, the family involved did not wish to be identified.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information on the case is asked to call Santa Monica Police at 310-458-8427.