A Florida man found himself in a hospital bed after an unexpected and violent encounter outside an Aldi store, where an unidentified assailant allegedly ambushed and punched him.

The disturbing incident took place at approximately 7 p.m. on October 11 at an Aldi grocery store in Lauderdale Lakes. Authorities from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office have made a public appeal by releasing images and video footage from surveillance cameras. The footage shows a man confronting the victim, who was accompanied by his service dog inside the store, before the suspect waited outside to launch a surprise attack.

This sudden and seemingly motiveless assault resulted in the victim falling backward, striking his head on the pavement, and sustaining “significant and serious injuries.” The impact has left him in a coma, as detailed in a press release from the sheriff’s office.

A notice issued by Broward County Crime Stoppers has further clarified the severity of the situation, noting that the victim has incurred “permanent injuries” from this incident.

Speaking with local news outlet WPLG, the victim’s brother, who chose to keep their family identity confidential, expressed the emotional toll this event has taken on them. “This is a total nightmare for my family,” he shared, hoping for assistance from the public. “If somebody knows who this guy is, if they can come and say who it is or call Crime Stoppers and let us know who he is, so somebody else doesn’t have to go through this nightmare.” The plea underscores their desperation for justice and the prevention of further attacks.

According to Crime Stoppers, the attack took place at 7:17 p.m. on Oct. 11. In the surveillance video released by the sheriff’s office, the suspect is seen approaching the man, who was with his service dog on a leash in one of the store’s aisles, and arguing with him. Cameras caught the suspect leave the store.

When the victim and his family left the store, the suspect was outside, allegedly waiting for him. The violent attack was caught on camera. Following the attack, the suspect fled the scene.

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about the suspect to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip at browardcrimestoppers.org, or dial **TIPS (8477) from any cellphone in the United States. Police said that if a tip leads to an arrest, the tipster will be eligible for a $5,000 reward.