JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One woman will have to undergo reconstructive surgery on her face next week after being attacked early Tuesday morning on St. Johns Avenue in the city's Avondale neighborhood, according to Jacksonville Sheriff's Office reports.
The woman, who did not wish to be identified, was punched in the face while watering her yard about 6 a.m. The incident occurred less than two hours after another woman was punched in the face while she was running a half-mile away on St. Johns Avenue.
The woman said her left eye is swollen shut and she has a laceration under her nose and a partially broken nose. She said she has lived in Avondale for 10 years and had never been fearful.
Police said they're trying to learn if the two attacks are connected.
Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said they have increased patrols in the neighborhood and are working diligently to track down the man responsible.
“These things are so unfortunate and we take them very seriously,” Williams said. “We are really coming down on this to make sure, number one, (we) identify the suspect and work to build good cases and make an arrest and get these people off the street.”
Shayla Spinner told News4Jax Tuesday that she has minor injuries after the attack. Spinner said she had been on her morning run and had stopped to stretch at a bus stop bench when she heard a man approach her.
She filed a police report with JSO. "I observed bruising and swelling on both sides of the victim's face, and scrapes on her knees from the fall," the officer wrote.
Spinner described her attacker as a white man in his 30s, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds and wearing a light T-shirt, black or dark jeans and possibly high-top sneakers.
RELATED: 2 women attacked hours apart in Avondale
Avondale businesses will be checking their surveillance video to see if the incident was captured on camera.
Anyone with information is asked to anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
Safety concerns raised for Avondale residents after attacks
Just one day after two women were assaulted in separate attacks, neighbors in Avondale started to adjust how they live and protect themselves.
News4Jax spoke Wednesday to joggers who are concerned for their safety after hearing about the attacks.
VIDEO: Avondale residents worried after women attacked
Jen Fulton runs in the Avondale area every day. Tuesday's attacks sent her to the store for mace to carry on her runs.
She also talks to her former running partner, who now lives in New York, while she is running, and keeps her updated on her location.
“If something happens, it's not like I have to wait and call 911. She knows where I am. She can stop what she's doing and call 911 for me,” Fulton said.
Despite the attacks, Fulton said, she will continue running in the morning.
“My husband spent most of the night trying to convince me not to run this morning,” Fulton said.
Fulton said knowing the attacker is out there won’t stop her routine. It will just make her more aware of what’s around her.
“You can’t let people make you fear life. You have to enjoy it,” Fulton said.
Runners in the area said there are new lights that have been put up in the neighborhood, which help a lot because they provide a lot more illumination than the old ones did and make people who run before the sun comes up feel a lot safer.
News4Jax spotted a lot of runners on St. Johns Avenue Wednesday morning, not far from where each of the attacks happened.
Many were walking or running with others, and JSO officers drove through the area several times.