Police said the man came up behind a 40-year-old woman, slashed her throat with a sharp object and ran away with her purse. The victim fell to the ground, and the suspect fled the location. The horrifying scene was caught on surveillance cameras.
The vicious attack happened shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday.
The victim sustained a laceration to the neck, which required surgery.
In surveillance photos you can see the suspect has a goatee and was carrying a skateboard.
The victim told investigators she has no idea who he is.
"Maybe he's desperate for money or he's got mental problems, but we want to get him off the streets and if he's got mental issues, we want to provide help for him," said LAPD Officer Tony Im.