Portage Police Department said they were called to reports of an elderly woman being punched in the head at the supermarket on June 18.
The 81-year-old victim told police that the suspect became irate towards her after she accused her of taking a motorized shopping cart in the parking lot that she “thought was entitled to her,” according to The Times of Northwest Indiana.
The victim then proceeded to go inside the Walmart. In the middle of the store she was once again approached by the suspect who said to her “Look (expletive) I’m not afraid of you,” before allegedly hitting the elderly woman on the head.
The 81-year-old was not seriously harmed during the incident and declined medical attention, police said.
The suspect then left the store and drove away in a silver vehicle after the incident. The Portage Police Department posted on Facebook a store surveillance image of the woman they wanted to speak to in connection with the attack and asked the public for help in identifying her.
Giving an update on the investigation on July 2, the department said: “We have identified the woman in the picture. Thank you for your assistance. We could not have done it without your help.”
Portage Police Captain James Maynard told The Times of Northwest Indiana that the woman in the photo had been interviewed and the investigation is still ongoing. However, as no arrest has been made, the woman’s name has not been made public.
Meanwhile, a 22-year-old man faces a charge of public indecency after he was spotted allegedly masturbating in the parking lot at the exact same Walmart store at 6087 U.S. 6 in Portage, Porter County.
Hunter Brennan is accused of performing the sexual act inside his parked car after being spotted by a woman around 8 a.m. on May 16.
Following his arrest, New Chicago Police Chief James Richardson said Brennan also faces similar charges after he was allegedly caught doing the same thing outside a Lake County laundromat, The Times of Northwest Indiana reported.
Brennan currently faces a public indecency misdemeanor charge in both counties. Richardson said prosecutors are looking into Brennan’s criminal history to determine if the charges filed in Lake County could be higher than the one filed in Porter County.
