The acts of kindness in a Woodland Hills community are drowning out the sound of fury from last week.
Dozens of neighbors in the area where street vendor Jonathan Alvarez was attacked by a man with an ax showed up for a community buy out.
“(Come and) get some fresh fruit and hangout with the neighbors,” said John Knapp, a Woodland Hills community member.
"We are trying to buy him out and show him he is not alone," said Edin Enamorado, an advocate for street vendors.
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Woodland Hills neighbors standing with Alvarez were watching for the man seen in a video vandalizing the fruit stand with an ax, who lives nearby.
“We are keeping our eyes out for our friend, but I think everything is going to be ok,”, said Mark Webb, a Woodland Hills community member.
This is his first time the 20-year-old is selling on this corner since last week’s incident, and the decision to do so wasn’t an easy one.
“I still feel nervous because I don’t know what he is still capable of”, said Alvarez.
But the turn-out today has brought a smile to the young vendor's face.
"I am very happy with the support, and it shows me that there are not just bad people, there’s more good people than bad ones”, said Alvarez.
And the community who showed up today say that is the message.
"The best thing to do is to concentrate on the positivity, rather than worrying about the negativity. I think what happened was about as bad as you could possibly imagine".
“(The vandalism toward the fruit stand vendor) does not speak for the entire community here in Woodland Hills, and they won’t stand for it”, said one resident.
And as for the man in the video, police are still trying to contact him. His neighbors say, they hope he hears the message they’re sending, loud and clear.
