VIDEO-Robber slashes woman’s throat at South Congress HEB | KXAN.com

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin police are investigating a violent attack at a south Austin grocery store. Police say a man cut a woman’s throat while trying to rob her.

The woman left the H-E-B store at South Congress and Oltorf, just after 1:30 a.m. As she was walking to her pickup truck, which was parked beside the far back corner of the building, a man attacked her with what police describe as an “edged weapon.” They say he cut her throat, they struggled and he took her purse.

The woman walked back toward the store, trying to get help. A security guard heard her and used his orange security vest to put pressure on her wounds until EMS arrived.

Police report she is now out of surgery and expected to recover. Because her wounds were so severe, she was unable to give officers a detailed description of the suspect.

Detectives believe the attack was random, and they are now searching for the suspect. Police dogs picked up a scent, which led them south on South Congress. Officers found the woman’s purse abandoned two blocks away. Robbery detectives are also reviewing the store’s surveillance video.

If caught, the suspect will face a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

An HEB spokeswoman said the company will not be commenting on the investigation. The South Congress store will offer counseling services to its employees. The spokeswoman also said the security guard who helped the woman is shaken up, but EMS crews say he most likely saved the woman’s life.

http://kxan.com/2015/05/20/robber-cuts-womans-throat-at-south-congress-heb/