California man sucker-punched 5-year-old in the face and hit 11-year-old from behind in disturbing unprovoked attack
LODI, CALIFORNIA: Police have released surveillance video of a horrifying incident where a 51-year-old man who was under the influence attacked two young boys at a department store unprovoked and then made a run for it.
Lodi Police had responded to a call from Target personnel that a man, later identified as Jeff Hardcastle, had attacked two children, ages 11 and 5, at their store located at 2355 W. Kettleman Lane in Lodi, according to a press release.
When they arrived at the scene, they found the young boys with injuries from the attack. The five-year-old boy was bleeding profusely from his nose and mouth area and had also sustained a concussion. The 11-year-old, fortunately, had not suffered any serious injuries.
Surveillance footage of the incident, which they released this past week, captured the moment Hardcastle, wearing all black clothing and covered in tattoos, had calmly approached the boys as they were looking at video games and punched both of them in the head and face.
The force of the punch to the five-year-old had sent the young boy sprawling to the floor. The 11-year-old, who seemed to have brushed it off, had pulled him to safety and rushed to seek help.
After the attack, Hardcastle had fled to the back of the store and left through a rear fire exit. Officers managed to track him down to an electrical box behind the business, where he was described as being "noncompliant" to their orders before his arrest.
Loss prevention personnel at Target informed them that he had been behaving oddly in the lead up to the assault, and it was determined that the 51-year-old was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The Lodi Police Department said the attack was "completely unprovoked" and that they were unsure of his motive.
Hardcastle, who had arrested just one week before the incident for public intoxication, pleaded no contest to charges of assault likely to cause great bodily injury and causing great bodily injury to a minor pursuant. He also admitted to a prior "strike offense" -- a conviction for a serious or violent felony -- a robbery, in 2008 in San Joaquin County.
On December 4, District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar announced that Hardcastle had been sentenced to nine years in state prison over the attack by Judge Phil Urie. The victims' father was present in court but opted not to make a statement.
"An unprovoked attack on unsuspecting children is unacceptable conduct for this office and the good people of San Joaquin County," she said.
(WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT)
Watch the video of the attack here: