The Los Angeles Police Department is increasing patrols along the famed Venice Canals as authorities search for a man who brutally attacked two women in separate incidents.
Both attacks occurred at night on April 6.
In the first, police say the man approached a woman from behind in the 2700 block of Strongs Drive near the Grand Canal and struck her in the head with a hard object, knocking her unconscious.
Aimee Nelson, who lives in the area, saw the aftermath.
“I was walking in front of the house and I saw what could have been the contents of a purse or something strewn about on the sidewalk,” Nelson told KTLA’s Sara Welch. “I spoke with my neighbor who found a bottle broken with blood. And there was a drag mark of the blood to a pool of blood.”
In the second incident, which occurred about an hour later, police say the same man assaulted a woman who was walking near the Sherman Canal.
“Both victims sustained significant injuries,” LAPD said without disclosing their conditions or the suspected motive in the attacks.
The assailant is described as a Black or Hispanic male, between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall, and weighs between 180 and 200 pounds with short hair that appeared to be trimmed around the ears.
Police are encouraging residents and visitors to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings, and notify the police of any suspicious activity or persons loitering in the area of the canals.
LAPD says it has deployed additional uniformed officers and marked police vehicles to the neighborhood.
“I am horrified and furious to learn of these violent and abhorrent assaults,” L.A. City Councilmember Tracy Park said in a statement. “This behavior will not be tolerated, and violent criminals will be held accountable.”
LAPD crime data compiled by CrosstownLA show there were 481 assault reports, not including domestic cases, in Venice in 2023, and 90 from Jan. 1 through March 31 of this year. The neighborhood saw a recent high of 609 assaults in 2020.
Anyone with information that could lead to the identification and arrest of this suspect, along with additional victims or witnesses, is urged to contact LAPD’s Special Assault Detectives at 213-473-0477. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at L.A. Crime Stoppers.