Suspect who slugged man in Palo Alto crosswalk sought

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Police are looking for a suspect in the unprovoked assault of a man who was walking in a crosswalk in downtown Palo Alto last week, according to a police spokesman.

At 10:10 p.m. on July 17, an injured man in his 40s and a witness came to the Palo Alto Police Department to report a battery had occurred about 30 minutes earlier downtown, Detective Sgt. Brian Philip said.

The man told police he was walking south on the west side of Cowper Street and was crossing University Avenue in the crosswalk at about 9:40 p.m. when he suddenly found himself on the ground and lost consciousness for a few seconds, according to Philip.

A witness who went to the police station with the victim reported that a man walking north in the crosswalk was passing the victim and then punched him once in the side of the head, police said.

The victim immediately fell to the ground and suspect ran away heading east on University Avenue. The witness came to the aid of the victim and helped him to the police station.

Employees of the Palo Alto Fire Department treated the victim, who had minor injuries to his nose and lip, then released him.

The suspect is described as a black or Hispanic man who is 20 to 30 years old, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighs 160 pounds with dark hair and was wearing a gray or white long-sleeved shirt and knee-length patterned shorts.

There is no known motive for the attack and no similar cases have been reported in Palo Alto, police said.

Police are seeking any other witnesses to the crime. Those with information about the assault may call the department's 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413 or can send an anonymous tip by text or voicemail at (650) 383-8984.