Downtown Berkeley Assaults Probed: Cops

BERKELEY, CA — A suspect was arrested last week in connection with two downtown Berkeley assaults, including an attack on an elderly man, police said.

The 34-year-old suspect was arrested Thursday and charged three days later with robbery, elder abuse causing great bodily injury and several criminal enhancements, police said.

At around 12:15 p.m. Thursday officers responding to a report of an assault inside a McDonalds (1988 Shattuck Avenue) learned the suspect had snatched a customer’s eyeglasses from her face and also grabbed her cellphone, police said.

When the customer tried to retrieve her belongings, the suspect punched her in the face twice, police said.

The suspect fled with the customer’s items after she punched the suspect back, police said.

About 11 minutes later, officers received another report of an assault on a 78-year-old man in the 1600 block of Shattuck Avenue involving a suspect that matched the description of the previous incident, police said.

The suspect struck a 78-year-old man in the head with a construction hard hat, police said.

Bike Force officers responded to the area and detained the suspect in the area of Francisco Street and Shattuck Avenue, police said.

While investigating the assaults, officers learned that the suspect had also damaged a trash can and sanitizer dispenser at Cupcakin Bake Shop (1690 Shattuck Ave.) and threw a brick at a vehicle in the area of Francisco Street and Shattuck Avenue, police said.