NBC 7’s Astrid Solorzano spoke with family members of the victim who say that he is in a medically-induced coma and they fear his life may never be the same.
San Diego Police have arrested a man accused of attacking a North Park auto shop worker with a hammer, leaving the victim in critical condition.
Louis Cedarholm, 29, was booked in the county jail Monday night on four felony counts including attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
Surveillance video captured the attack at Jack's Mufflers on University Avenue around 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
In the video, the suspect produced a hammer and struck the victim in the head seven times, until he collapsed on the floor.
After the initial attack, the suspect went into the office for less than a minute but did not take anything, SDPD said.
Then, the suspect walked away westbound on the 2100 block of University Avenue, police said.
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A passerby later saw the injured victim and alerted the authorities. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital.
The suspect in the video has been identified by police as Cedarholm.
Investigators say the attack appears to be random.
Police say the victim suffered brain bleeding, a skull fracture, multiple facial fractures, the possible loss of his left eye, multiple facial lacerations and missing teeth.
His condition was described by doctors as critical but not life-threatening.
