Woman arrested in Violent attack on street vendor in downtown Los Angeles

Police arrested a suspect after a video showed a 62-year-old vendor thrown to the ground in Downtown Los Angeles.

What happened

On June 15, Arabelia Martinez worked at her hot dog cart on Figueroa Street. She has sold food there for years.

A woman tried to scare Martinez into giving her cash. When Martinez said no, the woman yelled slurs and threw sauce at her.

Martinez threw spice back to defend herself. Then, the woman pushed Martinez to the ground and beat her for a full minute.

What the evidence shows

• 62: The age of the street vendor, Arabelia Martinez.
• 1: The number of minutes the violent physical fight lasted.
• 700: The block of Figueroa Street where the fight took place.
• 1: The suspect now in police custody for felony battery.
• 15: The day in June when the attack happened in plain view.

The bigger question

Street vendors are the heart of our neighborhoods, but they face constant danger. Why does it take a viral video for us to care about their safety?

How can cities protect people who work on the streets before a crime happens?

The other side

The police have not named the suspect yet, and she has no public statement. We do not know her side of the story.

What happens now

Martinez is at home healing from head pain. Her family started an online fund to help pay her bills while she rests.

The suspect is in custody on a felony charge. Local vendors still face the daily fear of street violence.

What we still don't know

• Who is the suspect, and why did she target this vendor?
• Will city leaders take new steps to keep vendors safe?
• When will Martinez feel well enough to return to her cart?