Suspect busted in 'vicious' attack on woman outside Planet Fitness

A man who allegedly attacked an 18-year-old woman outside a gym in New Hampshire, punching her nearly 40 times in a “vicious, unprovoked” attack, has been arrested, police say.

Jordan C. Lamonde, 22, of Portsmouth, was arrested Monday at Portsmouth Regional Hospital on a charge of second-degree assault, Rochester Police Chief Paul Touissaint announced Monday.

“This was a vicious, unprovoked attack that shocked our community, and I am proud to report that the suspect has been identified and apprehended,” Toussaint said.

Police last month released a 16-second clip of the attack taken outside a Planet Fitness gym in Rochester, showing a man believed to be in his 20s punching the woman from behind as she walks to her car.

The victim, Erin McCarthy, 18, of Rochester, later pleaded with people to flood investigators with tips rather than directly messaging her.

“I appreciate everyone messaging me and giving me names, I really do,” McCarthy wrote on Facebook. “But I am not a detective and I’m not getting paid to look for this guy. So please, please, please send in tips to the police, even if it’s anonymous or the guy ‘kinda’ looks like him. It doesn’t matter, they’ll investigate it and find out if it’s him or if it’s not.”

In a Facebook post one week after the attack, McCarthy said the suspect waited eight hours to assault her before punching her 39 times, primarily to the back of her head. He also kicked her twice in the face, McCarthy said.

Lamonde, who remains held on $150,000 bail, is expected to be arraigned Tuesday at Strafford County Superior Court, police said. It’s unclear if he’s hired an attorney.

In an interview Monday, McCarthy, of Farmington, told the Portsmouth Herald she was “ecstatic” about Lamonde’s arrest. She claims Lamonde allegedly attacked her to get back at her former boyfriend.

“It’s a long story,” she told the newspaper. “[Lamonde] saw me leave my ex’s house and followed me to work.”

McCarthy accused Lamonde of waiting in his car for more than eight hours before attacking her.

“I definitely want to ask him ‘why’ whenever I get the chance,” McCarthy said.

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