Prince George’s County police arrested a man accused of attacking an 80-year-old Salvadoran woman as she made her way to church with her family.
Police responded to the 3300 block of Toledo Terrace in Chillum, Maryland, on Oct. 24 after a man approached the victim while she was in the passenger seat of her niece's car and hit her several times in the face.
After the attack, the victim’s niece followed the suspect and recorded him with her cellphone.
Police arrested 45-year-old Junior Michael Reese on Oct. 28.
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The woman, who suffers from several illnesses, had to be hospitalized for a day after the attack because of her injuries, relatives said.
“My aunt has been very nervous since this happened,” Veronica Barrios said. “She just can’t… If we leave, she’ll immediately lock and bolt the door because she’s traumatized.”
The motive for the brutal beating is still not known. A police spokesperson said that it appears Reese lived in the area, but it was not clear if he may be homeless.
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“This is a completely senseless incident. Reading the facts in this case left us stunned,” spokesperson Julian Perez-Melendez said. “We’re talking about a woman who’s 80 years old… who was apparently assaulted by a 45-year-old man for no reason.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 866-411-8477. In case of a violent assault, authorities advise that people protect themselves and try to get away from the aggressor, not take justice into their own hands and immediately call police.
