Russian tourist, her friend randomly attacked on NYC sidewalk

A Russian tourist and her friend were violently attacked by a would-be mugger on a Manhattan sidewalk in late June, police and sources said.

The two women were randomly targeted by a male suspect as they strolled along West 15th Street near Eighth Avenue in Chelsea at about 9:30 p.m. on June 26, according to police. The brute attacked the 31-year-old tourist first, grabbing her and tossing her into a scaffolding pole before shoving her to the ground, according to police sources and video footage of the incident.