Mall attacker arrested with help of Facebook tips

VENTURA, Calif.

Ventura Police said a 25-year-old woman was walking through the north parking lot of the Pacific View Mall near the parking structure on January 16 when she was struck from behind in the waist. The woman turned and tried to call police on her cellphone, and the suspect knocked the phone from her hands, picked it up and ran away.

Investigators obtained video surveillance from mall security and a Target store. The images were posted on the police department's Facebook page. Tips received from the public identified the suspect.

Hernandez was located Friday on the 200 block of Wesley Avenue in Ventura and was arrested for battery, robbery, dissuading a witness from reporting a crime, and an unrelated outstanding felony warrant.

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