Tourists suffer black eyes, bruises after attack in Emeryville parking garage
By Dion Lim
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EMERYVILLE, California (KGO) — Horrifying witness video shows the moment a woman, visiting the Bay Area from out of state, was attacked and carjacked in the Bay Street mall parking garage in Emeryville.
The woman, who does not want to be identified, was with a friend who wanted to return a pair of jeans. As soon as they parked in the garage Monday afternoon the attack began.
“They were kicking me and punching me,” said the woman seen in the video, who can be heard screaming repeatedly at the assailants.
“Two men just ran out and went towards me. It felt so fast like I just closed my eyes and opened it and the car was gone, everything was gone,” she told ABC7.
The woman explained she thought she and her friend were about to be kidnapped but her friend who was driving their rental car managed to kick her attacker and run away.
“It didn’t register in my mind it was a robbery.”
What was left: two black eyes, and both women bruised and shaken, but grateful to be alive.
“Very lucky,” said the woman in the video, as she pointed out her injuries.
Emeryville police provided ABC7 News information about recent incidents through their crime statistics reports. Since May there have been at least three robbery and carjacking victims in the Bay Street parking garage. There were also a number of armed thefts at the various stores like Victoria’s Secret, Uniqlo and Lenscrafters.
Upon learning of recent crime in the area, the victim in the video questioned how further incidents could be prevented.
“If it happened multiple times the mall, should do a bit more to do make sure people feel secure, safe when they go shopping.”
ABC7 News reached out to the Bay Street’s property manager and did not receive a response back in time for deadline.
The woman in the video hopes by speaking out, it can help catch her perpetrators and serve as a warning and a “thank you” to the couple who recorded the video of her attack and stayed with her until police arrived.
“I think this could have happened to anyone if it wasn’t us it would have been someone else,” she said.
No suspects have been apprehended yet. Emeryville police are continuing their investigation into this incident and ask anyone with information to call Detective John Corcoran at (510) 596-3734.
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