BROOKLINE, MASS. (WHDH) - Police in Brookline are searching for a man who allegedly attacked a woman in an attempt to rob her in the street on Tuesday night, officials said.
Officers responding to a report of an assault in the area of 1773 Beacon St. around 7:15 p.m. spoke with a woman who said she walking from her car on Dean Road when a man shoved her from behind and tried to steal her backpack, according to the Brookline Police Department.
The woman claims the alleged suspect shouted racial slurs at her and threatened violence.
When the victim started to kick and scream, police say the attacker fled on foot. The woman escaped into a nearby church, where she waited for the police to arrive.
Police described the suspect as a middle-aged black man, about 6 feet tall, with a medium build.
Residents said they were surprised at the assault in the neighborhood.
“I generally feel really safe in this area,” said Maddie Ray.
Police say they are investigating this as a hate crime.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)