Santa Monica Police Chief Ramon Batista issued a video statement on Wednesday afternoon, following the assault on a six-year-old child at the junction of Main Street and Marine on Sunday, March 10, at approximately 7pm.
Witness Christina Tulluck, a Venice resident, recounted that the incident occurred while she and her friends, including the young victim, were heading home from a restaurant on Main Street. They had just stopped to get ice cream when the attack happened. “The hit was violent enough that it knocked her [the 6-year-old] to the ground,” Tulluck shared with the Westside Current, noting that the child was clutching her face.
Tullock said that following the assault, she immediately called 911 and pursued the suspect for as long as possible. She described the individual as being between 25 to 35 years old, dressed in a gray hoodie and black pants.
Chief Batista’s full statement is below.
“Good afternoon, I am Chief Ramon Batista with the Santa Monica Police Department. An incident like this one is an affront to public safety and will not be tolerated; even more so that a child was involved. Any crime committed in Santa Monica is a crime too many.
“Our department stands strong in the face of anyone who chooses to victimize those who are in the city. Our detectives are working hard to uncover more details of the incident and identify and apprehend the suspect. We appreciate our partnership with our community, relying on our residents, business owners and visitors to provide us with information about any criminal behavior.
“We continue our specialized uniformed deployments on Main Street and in our downtown area. Our goal is to be proactive and present, providing safety and security to our residents and visitors. In addition, we are deploying our homeless liaison team of police officers and a mental health clinician to provide much needed resources to those experiencing homelessness.
“Our efforts, combined with a Therapeutic Transport Team and the Salvation Army provide us a platform to redouble our efforts to connect individuals with treatment and shelter. Anyone with information about this incident can contact us at (310) 458-8427. Thank you for your assistance.”
scott.snowden@smdp.com