Woman attacked, left bloodied by stranger in random assault in Long Island City

A woman is speaking out after she was randomly attacked and thanking the good Samaritan that came to her rescue when no one else would.

Runing Lao said she was attacked Wednesday just before 1 p.m. outside of a Chipotle on Jackson Avenue.

She said the woman attacked her for no reason.

When Lao tried to defend herself, she said the woman took her umbrella, broke it in half and used it to cut her in the face.

"She just attacked me for no reason, at first I was shocked and frightened and I tried to fight back," Lao said.

Lao said if it wasn't for a good Samaritan, her injuries might have been worse.

"The way that woman was hitting her.. it's lucky she can still walk," said good Samaritan Jerome David.

David said he was walking behind Lao when he witnessed the assault and intervened.

"She tried to run off that way and I grabbed her right there, held her, she hit me breaking my glasses, and then she ran over there and I ran after her and pinned her onto the floor," David said.

He said he made the quick decision to protect a stranger in need.

"No one made a move to do anything, that could've been my sister, my wife, my girlfriend, anything," David said.

Police responded within minutes and took the 34-year-old suspect, Adriana Garcia, into custody. She is charged with second and third degree assault.

Lao is thankful for David.

"I think he saved me for real," she said.

Now she is determined to not let fear dictate her life going forward.

"I still love the city and I hope there are measures that can be done to make the city safer again," Lao said.

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