The Story

Imagine how many times you go to the store to do a little shopping. You walk through the aisles of your neighborhood store, a comfortable place where you can find everything you need. You go out to the parking lot, your mind is wandering, thinking ab0ut everything you need to do that day, and an assailant attacks. A woman was beaten in a parking lot with no warning as she was doing something we do all the time without a second thought.

Woman Beaten by Man in Target Parking Lot

HOUSTON, Texas – A Willowbrook area woman is asking for the public’s help in finding a man she said blindsided her and punched her in the face in a Target parking lot.

Marisol Riddle said the attack happened Tuesday at about 7:30 p.m. as she was loading groceries into her car.

“My face went completely numb, I was very disoriented and confused,” Riddle said.

Riddle said a man ran up and punched her without warning but she isn’t sure why.

“He didn’t try and grab my purse, he didn’t try and grab anything out of my trunk, he didn’t try and grab my phone,” said Riddle.

Riddle filed a report with the Houston Police Department and said she spoke with Target officials who claim they have video of two incidents involving the same man on the same day.

“Target told me they caught footage of him pushing a woman into a sign. She didn’t want to press charges or go to the police, but they have video of his face,” Riddle added.

Riddle is hoping Target and police will release the footage so that the public can see the man’s face and be on the lookout.

Originally reported by Click2Houston.

What Can We Learn?

No, you do not have to live in fear of doing daily tasks. No, you don’t have to continuously avoid people in every setting. Yes, you do have to take steps to protect yourself. Keep your attention on your surroundings at all times. This means, no cell phone use, no reading your receipts, no thinking about anything other than your surroundings now.

Pay attention to people. What are they doing? Is someone walking too close to you? Is there anyone near your car? Does that person have some kind of weapon or a dangerous tool? A man beat a woman in a crowded parking lot with multiple witnesses. People are brazen and unpredictable. It is important to remember that.