MILWAUKEE -- A Bay View woman was beaten up for no apparent reason Thursday evening.
Kate O'Keefe said she was heading down South Clement Avenue with her dog Wolfgang shortly after 4:30 p.m. when she noticed a parked car she'd never seen before.
"And then suddenly this car moved up like half a block and parked in front of us, which I thought was strange," O'Keefe said.
The driver stayed in the car but Kate said a man and woman got out and came toward her, even when her dog started barking.
"They just kept getting closer and saying 'why is he aggressive?' and the man kind of leaned down to him and then the next thing I know he punched me in the face, and I pick him up and scream and run," she said.
Kate said the attacker was following her so she ran into the street and crossed traffic. That's when Abbie Chiconas pulled her car over to help between Idaho and Manitoba.
"She was in shock, she was just screaming like hyperventilating. It was really hard for her to talk," Chiconas said.
Kate said it felt like she was going in slow motion, but this all happened in about two minutes. The attackers didn't try to take anything from her. She questions if it was some sort of initiation.
"He fractured my maxilla, the top of my jaw and my teeth, my four front teeth didn't come out, but he punched them back in the back of my mouth. It was not a pretty sight. So there was a lot of blood," O'Keefe said.
Even after emergency surgery, Kate feels fortunate knowing it could have been worse. Those close to her are asking, why?
"Just a random, stupid, needless senseless act," explained Bill Rouleau. "It's emasculating. I mean it's your lady and she's attacked. I'm worried about PTSD. I mean it's our neighborhood and she's got to walk the dog. I don't want her thinking about that."
Kate said she will continue to walk her dog in the neighborhood she loves, but she has a message for the man who punched her and the woman who watched.
"Rethink what their intentions are and what they want out of their lives," she said.
Police are still looking for the suspects.
Kate said the outpouring of support from the Bay View community is helping her get through this difficult time. She wants to invite everyone out to a Community Bake Sale November 20 at Urban Tavern. Proceeds benefit Hunger Task Force.
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