'Disgusting': Thug caught on video punching female crossing guard in face, knocking her out as elementary schoolers watch

A male was caught on video punching a Philadelphia-area crossing guard in the face and knocking her out in front of elementary students Monday afternoon.

The incident took place outside Walnut Street Elementary School in Darby Borough shortly after 3:30 p.m., WPVI-TV reported.

'Her children go to this school, so can you imagine? They shouldn't have to witness anything like that.'

Authorities told the station the guard was helping students cross the street when a male exited his car, chased her down the sidewalk, and punched her in the face.

"It's disgusting," Darby Borough Police Chief Joe Gabe told WPVI. "She stated an unknown male exited a Nissan Altima and came at her in an aggressive manner, chased her down the street, about a quarter of the way down the block, grabbed her, and struck her in the face with his left fist."

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Surveillance video captured the attack; it shows the male chasing the guard down a sidewalk until she stops next to a school bus. The male gets in her face, brutally punches her, she falls backward to the ground, and he runs off.

She told police she was knocked unconscious as the male ran back to his car and drove away, the station said.

The chief told WPVI it's believed the suspect may have been angry about waiting in traffic: "He may have been upset with having to wait for her to cross children off of the school bus there."

Gabe added to the station that the suspect was yelling profanities as he drove through the intersection prior to the attack: "When he was approaching her, he was yelling more obscenities at her before he grabbed her and struck her in the face."

The crossing guard suffered swelling to her face, WPVI said, adding that police said she regained consciousness, walked home, and then called authorities.

The station said the crossing guard didn't report to work Tuesday, and a male crossing guard took her place.

"We just spoke to her, she's feeling OK, but she's very shaken up over what happened yesterday and is worried to go back to her position as a crossing guard," Gabe added to WPVI.

Dionne Galloway, a school district employee, added to the station that "I see her every day. She's a part of this family, this school district. She crosses these children every day. She's always on time. She's always helpful. I just hope she recovers and is safe. Her children go to this school, so can you imagine? They shouldn't have to witness anything like that."

Police told WPVI they're asking for the public's help in identifying the suspect, who was seen driving a gold Nissan Altima. However, police added to the station that the car didn't have a license plate and had a paper tag in the window.

"It's terrible that a person would come up, just out of nowhere, just maybe frustrated with traffic or having to wait, and goes over and assaults this woman," the chief told WPVI. "A male goes over and assaults this woman in front of children and has no problem doing it."

Gabe also has a message for the suspect, the station noted: "We are tracking you down, and we're hoping that we will be able to find you and have you prosecuted. So the best thing to do is to turn yourself in."

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