83-Year-Old Man Attacked From Behind While Walking Home From SMC Park: Police

SAN MATEO, CA — A 19-year-old man attacked an 83-year-old walking home from a park Saturday evening in San Mateo, police said.

San Mateo Police officers said they arrested Quinn Johns, 19, of San Mateo, Saturday, and he was booked into the San Mateo County Jail on charges of battery with serious bodily injury and causing injury to an elder adult, police said.

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At around 7:34 p.m. on Saturday, police said they received a call that the victim had been attacked on the 700 block of Laurel Ave. and was suffering visible injuries to his face and head. Police said he was transported to a local hospital, where he is currently recovering.

The victim couldn’t provide a detailed description of his attacker, but two witnesses saw the suspect flee the scene and enter a nearby apartment complex, authorities said.

A police dispatcher identified a possible suspect, Johns, a resident of the apartment complex, whose appearance matched the witness descriptions, police said.

Both witnesses positively identified him as the man running from the attack area and security video, while not showing the assault, placed Johns nearby at the time.

Following the arrest, police addressed speculation regarding the motive.

“We have seen some reports on Nextdoor.com from those sharing information about this incident who believed this to be a hate crime. There is no merit to that claim and Johns was not charged with a hate crime. Because this attack was random, as for motive, it is relevant to share that Johns took the anger and frustration he was experiencing at home out on the first person he saw,” police said.