FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – A new view shows the moment a man walked up to a mother and her autistic son and attacked them.

Fort Lauderdale Police released the surveillance video on Wednesday in an effort that it would aid their search for the attacker.

Video shows a man wearing a red shirt walking up on the mother and her 12-year-old nonverbal child while they were walking to the bus stop and hitting them with a blunt object.

The incident occurred early Tuesday morning along the 1000 block of Northwest Fifth Avenue.

Police said the boy suffered an abrasion to the face while the mother sustained a laceration to the back of the head.

Both were transported to Broward Health Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening and have since been released.

Speaking to 7News on Tuesday, the mother, Chrissy, told 7News she was trying to shield her son when the attack happened.

“Take him to school and then, you know, me go to work and my appointments, and some guy just comes behind us out [of] the blue — my son’s nonverbal, he’s disabled, that’s sad — and then he just comes and tells him something and attacks him, and then I had to intercept and get in front of him, and he attacks me,” she said.

Chrissy believes the unknown assailant was armed with a stick of some kind, directing words at the boy before striking them, words that made no sense to her.

“He didn’t say nothing, he just said, ‘I told you not to come,’” she said as she held back tears. “I’m like, ‘Why is he talking to my kid. He doesn’t know this kid. This kid is 12 years old. Regardless what size he is.’”

The subject ran from the area, triggering a search for him.

Now, Fort Lauderdale Police hopes the video helps in identifying the subject who is wanted for aggravated battery.

If you have any information on this crime, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox