LAPD asks for help finding man who punched restaurant worker over order taking too long
Investigators are on the search for a man who repeatedly punched a Wokcano employee in downtown Los Angeles, assaulting the restaurant worker when he felt like his order was taking too long, the Los Angeles Police Department said Thursday.
LAPD issued a plea for the public's help finding the man, who is seen in security footage earlier this week yelling at a pregnant female employee before another worker at the Asian restaurant asked him to calm down. The man then started repeatedly punching the male employee, leaving him with injuries described by police as minor.
The attack happened just after 1 p.m. Monday at a Wokcano location near the 800 block of West 7th Street.
Two days after the brutal assault, the victim said he was left with lingering pain and soreness all over his body.
"My whole chest, my arms, my legs, my whole back of my neck to the point where ... I can't really move that much," he said. "I can't turn."
Oxlaj said he wanted to press assault charges against the man, saying the incident should have never happened in the first place.
"It's not fair," Oxlaj said. "I hope he ends up behind bars. I hope he doesn't do it to anyone else because what he did to me shouldn't have happened — shouldn't have been done. He shouldn't have took his anger out just for ordering food."
LAPD released an image from surveillance video showing the assailant Thursday. He is described by police as between 25 to 30 years old with a mustache, standing 6 feet tall and weighing around 180 to 200 pounds.
Oxlaj, who has worked at the restaurant for two years, said the angry customer kept going with the assault — to the point where it seemed like he wasn't going to stop.
"He didn't want to let me go whatsoever," Oxlaj said. "I felt like he wanted to just drag me out of the restaurant and just finish me off outside."
His mother, Isabel Hernandez, said she feared what could have happened if the attacker didn't stop. She also said he returned to the restaurant more than once that day, searching for her son and asking other people where he was.
"My son is going to return to work, right? What if he's waiting? What if he's watching?" she said in Spanish. "I'm very fearful, and I plead to the authorities: arrest him to feel more secure or provide a restraining order so he can't get close to my son."
When the mother and son spoke out Wednesday, they said the assailant could do the same thing to others if police don't track him down and arrest him. They filed a police report soon after the incident on Monday.
LAPD has not released further details as the investigation continues.
Anyone who recognizes the attacker or has other information that could lead to his arrest is urged to reach LAPD Detective Ramirez at 213-996-1248. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls can be directed to 877-LAPD-247. Those wishing to remain anonymous can submit tips by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or visiting lacrimestoppers.org.