Black Woman Tells of Attack by Two Latinos

A young black woman who recently moved to Los Angeles to seek her fortune as a cartoonist was attacked by two Latino youths who shouted racial epithets and pummeled her as Canoga Park neighbors watched in silence, police and the victim said.

The 26-year-old artist, who asked that her name be withheld, was treated at Humana Hospital-West Hills and released Friday as police searched for her attackers.

“I’m just a cartoonist and a writer. I’m just trying to help people laugh and feel good. I don’t bother anyone,” said the woman, who left Fresno about a month ago to join her older sister in Canoga Park.

She added: “There’s a lot of violence everywhere and this isn’t going to stop me.”

The woman was walking her pair of cocker spaniels in the 6900 block of Remmet Avenue about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday when she noticed a group of about 10 teen-agers across the street, in front of the Guadelupe Center for youths. One boy in the group shouted two racial slurs at her, but she ignored him and kept walking, the woman recalled Friday.

One of her dogs slowed down, as if sensing someone nearby, and the woman started to look behind. Before she turned around completely, one teen-ager hit her in the face, knocking her into a mailbox and onto the ground, the woman said. A second youth joined the first in hitting and kicking the woman on the face and back while calling her racially derogatory names as she pleaded to be let go.

“I started saying ‘Please.’ I felt like I was going to pass out,” the woman recalled. “They said, ‘Yeah, you better say please.’ ”

Another black resident of the street who was walking outside said one of the two youths started to chase her, she outran him and flagged down a passing car. The headlights apparently startled the attackers, who fled along with the other youths.

Several neighbors were sitting on their front steps or standing in their yards during the attack, but none intervened, both women said.

“I couldn’t believe it. As I got up and was walking down toward the house, they were all watching. And then they just asked me if I was all right, but they actually watched the whole attack. I just said yes, and thank you.”