Phony flower delivery man appears to attack, pepper-spray woman in chilling surveillance video

SEATTLE — Authorities in Washington state are offering up to a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the identification and arrest of a suspect accused of posing as a flower delivery man, then beating and pepper-spraying a woman in an attack last month caught on camera in Seattle's Lower Queen Anne neighborhood.

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"There's a good chance" the woman may lose sight in one eye following the attack that has left her traumatized with nightmares, according to Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound.

Surveillance video of the attack obtained by KIRO-TV shows the woman greeting the unidentified man at her apartment lobby door on Aug. 24. The man then unleashes on the woman, who falls down, flower bouquet in hand, as the suspect repeatedly hits and then pepper sprays her.

Crime Stoppers said the woman did not know the man who attacked her and that he did not steal anything from her.

Seattle police confirmed Sunday they're investigating the August attack but did not provide additional details about why the woman may have been targeted citing an active investigation.

The woman initially told the man by phone to leave the flowers outside, according to Crime Stoppers. The suspect then told her she would have to sign for them and asked the woman to verify her name and where she worked before attacking her.

Neighbors told KIRO-TV on Sunday that they were shocked to hear of the attack.

"It's horrible; I can't believe it," said one neighbor who did not want to be publicly identified. "That's malicious, evil."

Contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at P3Tips.com or call 1-800-222-8477 with information related to the man's identity.

Cox Media Group