Attack in downtown Dallas: Suspect arrested, charged with aggravated assault

DALLAS – Police have arrested a man who they believe brazenly and seemingly randomly attacked a woman in downtown Dallas.

Antonio Banks, 36, was charged with aggravated assault.

The attack in downtown Dallas has attracted national attention.

In video obtained by FOX 4, the suspect can be seen approaching an unsuspecting woman at the intersection of Elm and Field streets last Thursday. The man then strikes the woman from behind with a blunt object and walks away barely slowing down.

According to an arrest warrant, the victim works at the George Allen Courthouse on Commerce Street.

On Thursday, around 1 p.m., she headed downtown for her lunch break.

She worked, not knowing that Banks began to follow her.

Fourteen minutes later, surveillance footage from a 7-Eleven near Elm Street shows Banks continuing to follow her.

A minute later, the brutal footage shows Banks brandishing a blunt object while wrapped in a red garment.

The impact caused the woman to “immediately fall unconscious to the ground, resulting in numerous cuts and facial fractures on the right side of her head.”

The woman was taken to hospital in stable condition.

FOX 4 spoke with Downtown Dallas Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides safety in downtown. The group helped compile surveillance video for police.

“I was screaming and gasping for air. The audacity of it all was very disturbing,” said Jennifer Scripps, CEO and president of Downtown Dallas Inc. “I have never seen anyone see that and not react that way.”

Scripps says its security officers were the first on the scene.

“This is not good for our city, not good for the people who work and live here,” Scripps said.

Dallas police said Banks is currently in a Dallas County jail on other, unrelated charges.

On Monday afternoon, Banks was arrested for trespassing at the UNT System building on Main Street. Banks was taken to jail, and on Tuesday detectives matched his clothing and description to that of the robbery suspect and obtained a warrant for his arrest for aggravated assault.

Prison records show that Banks was on parole at the time of the incident.

It is unclear what crime or conviction this is related to.

According to the affidavit, Banks' listed address is a homeless shelter in Dallas.

A possible motive is not listed in the affidavit.

Since FOX 4 released video of the attack last week, many people have commented on at least parts of the video we obtained that bystanders did not help.

“I hope they didn’t even realize what just happened,” Scripps said.