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85-year old Daly City man attacked twice in his front yard
Video shows an elderly man kicked to the ground as he was mowing his front lawn. Daly City police said a similar attack happened to him in September, and one person could be responsible for both attacks.
DALY CITY, Calif. - For the second time in several months, an elderly man in Daly City has been attacked in his front yard. The most recent incident was captured on camera, and as Daly City police are investigating whether the two attacks are related, or a bizarre coincidence.
Around 5:30 p.m. Friday, 85-year-old Salomon Hernandez had finished mowing his front lawn at his home on Higate Drive. In surveillance video, Hernandez is seen emptying grass into a trash bin, when he’s suddenly approached by a man from behind, and kicked to the ground.
Rolando Hernandez, son of the victim, is incensed by what he saw happen to his father, after watching the video for the first time Saturday afternoon.
"I'm more pissed off than ever watching that video," the son said. "I can't even find the word for it. A coward, man. That is just so B.S."
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After the attack, Hernandez struggled, failing to get up on his own. Minutes later his wife is seen coming to his aid to help him to his feet.
His arm has been badly bruised and cut and is now bandaged. He says the back brace he was wearing helped protect him from injuries that could have been far worse.
He's in pain both physically and emotionally and says he doesn't know who attacked him.
"I don't have an idea. I don't have an idea why," said Hernandez. "This is the second time. In September, he do the same thing in that corner."
Hernandez was also injured in the September attack, though not as severely.
He assumes the same person is responsible and says robbery is not the motive since nothing was taken in either incident.
Police and the family have been talking to neighbors, trying to gather additional video evidence that may lead to the assailant.
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Though the suspect is unknown, Ronaldo Hernandez says he has an inkling of who the attacker might be, someone his father knows, but he didn't want to elaborate in case he's wrong. So, the family is speculating the two incidents may be related, even though they have no evidence to prove it.
"The first time, honestly like I said, we thought it was random, but when you come into the property here, now it's targeted. I mean we have suspicions who it might be, but we can't say it because that's not right, but we have a pretty good idea of who it is," said the younger Hernandez.
The suspect was also captured on video from a neighbor's camera. He’s seen running from the scene, wearing what appears to be gray pants, a black hoodie or jacket, knitted cap and a mask.
No one in the family has been able to positively ID the suspect in any of the videos, but they're hoping witnesses who may have seen something will come forward and contact police.
For now, Mr. Hernandez will leave his yard work to someone else. He’s too battered, bruised and afraid to do it on his own.