"Why did you hit me?"

My mom, 67, was assaulted in my neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York today. The assailant is being charged with a racially motivated felony assault. My mom was on her daily walk of ten thousand steps when they crossed paths. She saw him coming but it didn’t seem to her she was in harms way. She could hear yelling as if someone was shouting into their phone but dismissed it because people talk loudly in New York all the time. As she walks pass him, he turns around and hits her in the head with his fist. She grabs a fence to keep from falling and yells "why did you hit me?" He hits her two more times in the face, and runs off. I was at home nearby when it happened. She calls me and I rush out to find her with two good samaritans who confirm his description and his whereabouts. I call 911 and officers show up immediately, and we proceed to tell them everything. They're able to apprehend him minutes later down the street and escort my mom and I to the scene to confirm his identity. He's arrested and we're all escorted to the police station where she's examined by EMS and determine it is not imperative she go to the hospital, which she agrees. We head into the police station to make a report. She's ok physically, except for a big bruise on her left cheek and probably a black eye. She seems ok emotionally.