Victim Of Broad Street Subway Attack Speaks Out

By Elizabeth Hur

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A woman, just trying to enter a subway station, was brutally beaten.

It happened Friday morning and later in the evening, the victim spoke exclusively with Eyewitness News with a message for her attacker.

The victim says she will be turning 68-years-old later this year and in her lifetime, what she endured Friday morning was a first.

Victoria Smith said, "It was really like seeing in slow motion, I saw her fist come but I couldn't believe she was going to hit me."

Smith says it happened at the corner of Federal and Broad Streets. She was on her way to work as an Assistant Housing Manager for Interstate Realty Management Company. She says she paused at the Subway entrance to allow a younger woman, walking up along the railing, to exit first.

"I just like to hold onto the railings when I go," Smith explained.

As a 67-year-old, who underwent a double-knee replacement surgery, you can understand and imagine her shock when the woman then confronted her.

"She said, 'What the (expletive) are you looking at (expletive),' and it just shocked me because I thought she can't be talking to me?" Smith recalled.

Before she knew it, Smith says the suspect repeatedly punched and knocked her to the ground, in the process of falling, the victim also hit her head on a pole.

Smith said, "She just beat my face. I tried to get up but she continued to just pound on me, pound on me."

Fortunately, good Samaritans came to her aid and Smith was immediately taken to the hospital with bumps, bruises and a torn ligament in her finger. Traumatized? Absolutely. But the victim says she is counting her blessings and praying for her attacker who police arrested just a block away.

"They grabbed her off of me and she just, she didn't run, she just picked up her belongings and she started walking down the street, walking very casually like nothing ever happened," Smith added, "I'm thankful she didn't have a weapon and honestly, I prayed for her. I prayed because she needs help."

Police later identified the suspect as 39-year-old Patricia Norton, who at last check, remained in custody on Aggravated Assault and related offenses.