Updated on: August 2, 2022 / 11:28 PM / CBS Los Angeles

Officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on Tuesday sought the public's help in identifying and locating a man who, seemingly unprovoked, attacked three people in two different assaults in Lynwood. 

According to authorities, the first attack happened on June 30, at around 8:30 p.m. in the 3300 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, near Long Beach Boulevard. 

The victim, a Hispanic man, and his wife were walking when a white Ford F-150 pickup truck pulled into a nearby driveway. The suspect exited the truck with a "large metal object" that authorities said might have been a tire iron. 

The suspect, who was described as a Hispanic man between 35 and 45-years-old, approached the victim "while making racial comments towards him," authorities said. Then, without warning, he struck the victim with the metal object in the leg and upper body. The victim and his wife ran from the suspect, who chased them for a short time before returning to his truck and driving away. 

Only moments later, LASD said a second victim, a Black male adult, who was walking in the 11300 block of Long Beach Boulevard, saw the same white truck drive past him. 

The second victim walked into a business where he was attacked from behind, hit over the head with the metal object and fell to the floor. The suspect continued to "viciously attack the victim while he was on the ground," hitting several more times in the head. 

"The victim actually remember walking down Long Beach Boulevard and making eye contact with the suspect in the truck," LASD Detective Christina Smith said. "He says the suspect stared at him in a menacing manner. He says he was scared of him by just looking at him. He didn't understand who this person was or why he was looking at him." 

After he stopped hitting the second victim, the suspect then fled the location, going southbound through the parking lot and out of view.

"It was enough to use the word maim," Smith told CBSLA. "I use the word maim. He maimed these folks." 

Authorities said the second victim suffered serious injuries to his head and neck and was taken to the hospital. He has since been released and is recovering at home. The first victim suffered injuries to his leg, arms and back as a result of the assault. 

Neither of the victims, according to the sheriff's department, knew who the suspect was and at no point did the attacker try to take anything from them. 

"We believe it was absolutely unprovoked and completely random," Smith said. 

Anyone with information on the assaults was asked to contact LASD Detective McInnis at 323-568-4800. Anonymous tips can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org. 

"We do believe this is such a heinous, horrible crime that we need to get in front of it before another attack occurs," Smith said. 

The CBS LA Staff is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSLA.com.

First published on August 2, 2022 / 5:41 PM

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