Woman says man tried to kick her in face during early morning run
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A 24-year-old woman said she was on her regular early morning run in Center City Philadelphia on Wednesday when a man she passed attempted to kick her in the face in what she described as an unprovoked attack.
Maggie Lawrence said she was running on the 500 block of 16th Street at about 6:30 a.m. when she heard someone yelling through her headphones.
"As I started to run past him, he stopped and he kicked his leg up at me, kind of almost like karate style," Lawrence said.
Lawrence said she reacted quickly and was able to block the kick by catching the man's foot before he could strike her.
"All of a sudden I was like, 'I'm about to get kicked,' and I was able to catch his foot," she said. "Then I'm standing there with this guy's foot, and he's laughing. I'm throwing his foot back on the ground. It was very bizarre."
Lawrence, who said she was not injured, then ran away from the man. She said he simply walked away from the area.
Surveillance video captured Lawrence running down 16th Street moments before the alleged attack. The same camera later recorded a man walking south on the street.
Lawrence described the man as being about 6 feet tall with dark hair. She said he was wearing what appeared to be navy blue gym clothes and tennis shoes with white soles.
She said the man did not initially appear suspicious.
"He had gym clothes on, like he was just walking home from the gym," Lawrence said. "He wasn't seeming like someone who was up to no good. Regular guy."
Lawrence said she moved to Philadelphia earlier this summer and runs every morning. She said she had generally felt safe running through the neighborhood, where she regularly sees other runners and people heading to work.
"I feel like it's usually pretty quiet, pretty safe, a lot of other runners, a lot of people going to work," she said. "Not really anyone up to no good or any trouble, so yeah, very unsettling."
Lawrence said she carries mace while running but chose to flee after the encounter.
"In my head, this was probably very fight or flight, and I thought I should just keep running and get away from this person," she said. "It definitely makes me think twice about being more aware of my surroundings."
Velika Winterbottom, who lives nearby where the incident happened, said it should serve as a reminder for people to remain aware of their surroundings but should not discourage them from coming to or living in the city.
"I walk to work every day and I have never felt unsafe," Winterbottom said.
Philadelphia police said South Detectives are investigating the incident.
"If this person does it again, and just the fact that they did it to me and could've really hurt me, it needs to get out there," Lawrence said. "People need to be on the lookout, and hopefully we're able to catch him."
