In "a random act of violence" that was captured on surveillance video, a man is seen being hit with a tire iron as he filled up his tank at an Orange County gas station, police said Monday.
A 26-year-old man from Cypress was getting gas at the Mobil gas station located at 12240 Seal Beach Boulevard when he was attacked just after 10 p.m. Sunday, Seal Beach police said.
Surveillance video shows the victim standing next to a black Jeep when a man in a white and black baseball cap, khaki shorts, and a black tank top approaches him from behind.
In the video, the man appears to strike the victim twice before both men turn and move behind the Jeep, toward the other side of the car and out of the camera’s view.
The gas station manager said nothing like this has happened before.
"I was shocked," Mohammed Islam said. "This is not supposed to happen in Seal Beach."
The victim suffered a large head laceration, and was treated at a hospital and released. Seal Beach police are calling this attack an assault with a deadly weapon.
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Police do not yet know a motive for the attack aside from a random act of violence, adding that the attacker did not steal anything.
Seal Beach police described the attacker as a man with thin build, dark complexion, 5 feet 11 inches tall, and clean shaven.
He was last spotted running southbound on Seal Beach Boulevard and is still at large.
"If a crime happens, make as much of a scene as possible," Seal Beach Police Sgt. Philip Gonshak said.
Anyone with information about the attack should call the Seal Beach Police Detective Cpl. Mariana Martinez at 562-799-4100, ext. 1110.
Angie Crouch contributed to this report.
