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Homeless Man Arrested After Attacking Asian Woman In Center City: Philadelphia Police

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A homeless man has been arrested after allegedly attacking an Asian woman in Center City this weekend. Police say the man walked up to the 27-year-old woman, struck her in the face and walked away without exchanging any words.

Security video shows a man walking towards two women on 11th Street, near Filbert Street, in Center City around 2 p.m. Sunday. He struck one of the women in the face and walked away without exchanging any words.

People were shocked when Eyewitness News showed them the video.

"I think it's absolutely horrible," Germantown resident Kathleen Dunn. "It's not right."

Philadelphia police arrested 30-year-old Alex White about a block away from the incident. He is charged with simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

"It's very, very disturbing," Southwest Philadelphia resident Alonda Davis said. "And it's scary."

The victim is a 27-year-old Asian woman who is now recovering. At this time, police do not believe the attack was racially motivated, saying the suspect and the victim did not exchange any words before the incident.

Councilmember Mark Squilla represents the city's first district, which includes where Sunday's incident happened.

"It's just sad that we've been to several anti-Asian hate rallies," Squilla said. "It seems like these two individuals, women, walking down the street just doing nothing but going to a destination and for whatever reason this person decides to walk up and then crack them right in the head. It is very disturbing to see that."

He adds city officials have to do a better job of making sure people feel safe.

"There's people, we have community meetings throughout my district, that say the number of things they're saying is they don't feel safe to go outside," Squilla said. "They feel like lawlessness is running rampant in the City of Philadelphia and it seems like there is no recourse for these actions."

The incident remains under investigation.

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