Richfield Man Charged In Violent Purse Snatching From 81-Year-Old

RICHFIELD, MN — A Richfield man was charged on Dec. 30 in a violent purse snatching that occurred in Saint Paul's East Side neighborhood. The robbery left an 81-year-old woman with a concussion, a subdural hematoma and a broken pelvis.

The Ramsey County Attorney's Office charged Isaiah J. Foster, 19, with aggravated assault in the first degree.

"The actions of this young person caused significant trauma and injury to an elderly resident and spread fear throughout our community," said Ramsey County Attorney John Choi in a news release.

"I want to thank investigators for their work on this case and the mother of the young offender for doing the right thing by turning her son into authorities."

According to the criminal complaint, on Dec. 23, Saint Paul police responded to a report of a robbery at a Walgreens on Larpentuer Avenue on the East Side.

Surveillance video showed the suspect grabbing the woman's purse as she entered the store, dragging her to the ground, authorities said. The man, wearing a black hoodie jacket and a surgical mask, then fled, investigators said.

On Dec. 29, after seeing coverage of the video footage, the man's mother called police to report that she was certain this was her son, as she recognized the coat he was wearing, according to the criminal complaint.

Foster was already in custody as a suspect in a carjacking in Saint Paul on Dec. 28, police said.