A man was hospitalized Monday night in stable condition after reportedly being assaulted while hiking in Griffith Park that afternoon, LAPD said.
The victim was found around 2:30 p.m. by someone on the trail, with multiple injuries.
He was hoisted out by helicopter from a trail near Fern Dell and Oak Road and transported to a local hospital in critical condition. By nightfall, the victim was in stable condition, but sedated, and therefore unable to assist with investigation.
"We have no identification on him. He didn't have anything on him. So we don't know who he is right now," LAPD Sgt. Douglas Bowler said.
LAPD is investigating what it called an assault with a deadly weapon, and said it is not immediately clear if anything was taken or if the attack could have been motivated by robbery.
"Anytime someone's assaulted around the head, it creates very serious injuries like he has. A foot could be a deadly weapon if you kick somebody," Bowler said.
Hikers on one of the most popular trails in Southern California told NBC4 that they were "surprised" to hear about the daytime attack.
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"It's never occurred to me. I mean, the thing I'm mostly worried about is the coyotes with my dog," hiker Courtney Graham said. "You don't think of someone attacking people in such a public place like that."
A man suspected of attacking the victim was taken into custody around 7 p.m. Monday, police said. He was booked later that night.
Beverly White and Samia Khan contributed to this report.
