An ax-wielding man destroyed a fruit vendor’s stand in Woodland Hills Sunday night, and it’s not the first time the suspect has attacked a vendor, police said.
Sunday’s caught-on-video incident shows the vandal taking an ax to the vendor’s stand.
The victim, who only wanted to be identified as Jonathan, told KTLA that his equipment was destroyed and the fruit he was selling went to waste.
Fearing for his life, Jonathan moved away from the intersection of Dumetz Road and Canoga Avenue, but the suspect came at him from out of nowhere with the weapon and also verbally attacked him. The victim was not injured, but he is frightened the vandal may come back and continue to harass him.
This is not the first time the man, believed to Daniel Joseph McGuire, has targeted vendors.
Police say McGuire attacked another fruit vendor at the same intersection in March. Two months later, at a rally in support of the vendor, McGuire returned. Video from the May rally shows McGuire yelling and cursing at demonstrators while holding a dog on a leash.
The demonstrators then marched to the suspect’s house in the area and McGuire allegedly sprayed them with a hose.
Police responded and took McGuire into custody on suspicion of battery, video from that incident showed.
Jonathan has set up a GoFundMe to help defray his costs.