71-year-old woman attacked while walking dog in Daytona Beach Shores

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Authorities in Daytona Beach Shores need help finding a man who randomly attacked a senior citizen in the middle of day.

The 71-year-old victim, who asked not to be identified, said she was out walking her dog just before 1 p.m. Tuesday on South Atlantic Avenue when a man ran up to her, struck her in the head with an unknown object, then fled south on foot.

The man was last seen running west toward Cardinal Boulevard.

Raw: Woman, 71, described attack in Daytona Beach Shores

“Still shaken up, but I’m OK. Scared. Just scared, you know,” said the victim. “I’ve been out all hours of the day and night. Never had anything like this happen.”

The victim said she was attacked on the sidewalk of her building; was shoved into a wall and fell down.

“It happened so fast, I didn’t realize, but I got a good look at him anyway and I won’t ever forget it. That’s just something that’s very frustrating,” said the victim.

She described her attacker as dark-skinned, about 6-feet tall, in his 20s, with a scar on his face.

K-9 units were used to track the man down but he was never found.

“I don’t believe someone would do this to someone in broad daylight, you know? Especially someone her age and walking her dog,” said resident Cindy Horn.

With no idea what motivated the attacker, who didn’t rob her, the victim feels grateful to officers who got to her within minutes.

“Hopefully they’ll catch this person because I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” said the victim.

Police said they will step up patrols in the area.

Anyone who may have witnessed the attack is asked to call police.

WFTV