Man arrested in unprovoked attack of 83-year-old man in California

Authorities in Orange County have arrested a man suspected of beating and critically injuring an 83-year-old man out for a walk in Little Saigon.

Santa Ana police said 29-year-old Demarrea Barnes was arrested Saturday, one day after the unprovoked attack in a strip mall parking lot.

Barnes, who is believed to be homeless, was booked for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury.

Surveillance video shows Tuyen Nguyen walking by the parking lot Friday morning when a man punched and kicked him repeatedly.

The attack occurred at 6:10 a.m. Friday, and was captured on surveillance video.

“I’m still in shock,” the victim’s son, Peter Nguyen told KTLA-TV. “I still can’t believe this would happen to my family, especially to my father. He is the nicest individual — the last one that you could think something like this would happen to.”

Cpl. Anthony Bertagna told KNBC-TV investigators did not know the motive for the beating.

Nguyen’s daughter, Julie Nguyen, told the station her father knew his attacker from his frequent walks to the mall and has given him food.

Family members told the TV station that Nguyen was being treated for a brain hemorrhage and broken facial bones at a local hospital.

Associated Press contributed