A female student who sustained injuries during a Feb. 9 robbery at Long Beach City College (LBCC) detailed the incident to a local media outlet last week.
On Tuesday, Feb. 9, around 9pm, Carolina Herrera was walking alone and talking on her cell phone on the campus, in the 4900 block of E. Carson Street, when she walked past the suspect, who attempted to grab her phone. Police say the suspect physically assaulted her, retrieved her phone and fled. The suspect is described as a black male in his early 20s, between 5’7″ and 5’8″ in height, about 150 pounds. He was wearing a black shirt with horizontal stripes on half the shirt and black pants.
In an interview with a local TV station on Feb. 19, Herrera said the man used her phone to punch her in the face.
“I started screaming louder, and that’s when I got the cut, and he ran away,” Herrera said in the interview, referring to the wound on her forehead.
Long Beach Fire Department (LBPD) treated Herrera on the scene.
Long Beach Police Department officers conducted a search of the area, seeking surveillance video and witnesses.
Nancy Pratt, LBPD public information officer, said the investigation is active and detectives are working closely with the victim.
In an emailed response to the Signal Tribune, Stacey Toda, associate director of Public Relations and Marketing for LBCC, said the college cannot comment on an ongoing police investigation and deferred questions to the LBPD.
“LBCC takes campus crime seriously, and we consider the safety of our students as a top priority,” Toda said. “Following the Feb. 9 incident, LBCC issued a campus-wide alert with a general description of the suspect, as well as tips to remind students how to stay safe on campus.”
Those with information regarding the incident are asked to contact Long Beach Police Robbery Detail at (562) 570-7464.
