Chapel Hill police seek public's help to identify suspect in Franklin Street assault
Chapel Hill police seek public's help Wednesday to identify a person of interest in connection to a Franklin Street assault.
Police say at approximately 4:00 p.m. on Oct. 25, surveillance video captured a person entering a bakery on the block of 1800 East Franklin Street, approaching a customer, and knocking them to the ground.
The owner of Guglhupf Bake Shop said that the area is safe and the bakery has never had an incident like this before.
The video footage shows the man going up to the counter at the bakery to order a coffee.
As he is called to collect his order, another man punches him in the face in a seemingly random attack.
The suspect then walks out of the bakery.
A few seconds later, people start helping the victim up.
"It's scary that it could happen to a random person and for no reason at all," the victim said.
The victim in this video spoke with WRAL to share what he remembers.
"I got blindsided; someone knocked me out. I don't even know from where I don't know who it was," the victim said.
He said that he suffered a broken jaw and a serious concussion, which has caused short-term memory problems. He is also shaken up and confused.
"You feel horrible when something happens in your establishment," Guglhupf Bake Shop owner said. "It doesn't matter if it's your fault or not."
The owner also says the business will be adding cameras outside since there are none in the shopping center's parking lot currently.
"It's a public safety issue," owner said.
Anyone with information about the assault or the identity or location of the pictured individual should call 911 or contact the Chapel Hill Police Department at 919-968-2760.
