A California gas station clerk was violently slashed in the face and abdomen by a young customer who coaxed her into the bathroom where he launched a stabbing rampage, police say.
Mother-of-six Darlecia D’Andrade, 53, was working behind the counter in Harbor City on June 16 when a young Hispanic male entered the gas station around 6am, made a purchase, then asked to use the restroom.
Claiming that the toilet was broken, he asked D’Andrade to help fix it.
Gas station clerk Darlecia D’Andrade, 53, was brutally attacked while at work on June 16 at 6am when a customer allegedly coaxed her into the bathroom and slashed her with a knife, suspect pictured above on surveillance footage making a purchase
After the 20-year-old Hispanic male suspect made his purchase he asked for help in the bathroom claiming that the toilet was broken, D’Andrade pictured in black
The mother-of-six responded to the young man’s request and headed into the bathroom
Suspect seen closing the bathroom door behind him and reaching into his pocket for what is believed to be a weapon then launching his alleged slashing attack
Moments after the bathroom door closes he is displayed sprinting out then dashing into his car and fleeing the scene
Video surveillance at the station displays the moment that D’Andrade walks into the restroom to help her customer and the suspect reaches into his pocket for what appears to be a weapon before closing the door for several moments, then sprinting out.
Police say that once inside the restroom the suspect suddenly attacked the clerk, slashing her across the face and abdomen with an unknown object, which she later described as a knife.
‘I started saying “why, why, why are you hitting me?” Blood was just gushing like crazy, and I was just so in shock,’ D’Andrade said to KTLA.
‘The blood was all over the store,’ she added.
D’Andrade, pictured left, said the door closed and he began slashing her. She said she did not know the suspect, pictured right
She suffered lashes to the face and abdomen and called her daughter for help after the attack
Speaking on the incident she said: ‘Blood was just gushing like crazy, and I was just so in shock’
The mother-of-six says has been unable to return to work following the June accident
Police are pleading for information on the young suspect who stopped at the Harbor City gas station early on Saturday June 16
The mother-of-six says she does not know the suspect but has forgiven him, pictured above with family
The suspect bolted back to his four door red sedan with vertical slats on the front grill and a sunroof and drove away from the scene.
D’Andrade walked outside and called her daughter. A customer later arrived and called 911.
She was taken to the hospital where she was treated for the lashes on her face and abdomen and released.
She has been unable to return to work following the attack and says she’s now fearful to even go out in public.
The mother says she had never seen the suspect before.
‘I just want to say to him, you know, I meant you no harm. I have to forgive you because of my belief in God,’ she said to KABC.
Police are pleading for any information on the suspect and the motive for the attack remains unknown.
He is described as a 20-year-old Hispanic male with dark hair, around 5ft 11, and weighing between 160 to 170lbs. He was seen wearing a black and green hat with the phrase ‘I (marijuana leaf) weed’, a red T-shirt, and black pants.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to aid D’Andrade’s family.