Video footage reveals midnight assault, draws nationwide attention

Chinese police are searching for a man who brutally attacked a woman in Dalian, Liaoning Province, after a video of the incident went viral online on Monday, sparking a huge public outcry.

A screenshot of a video showing a man assaulting a woman on a street at around 00:44 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, 2019. [Screenshot: Sina Weibo]

The 29-year-old was on her way home when she was attacked by the suspect just before 1 am on Saturday, June 22, 2019.

In the CCTV video that was made public on Monday, the suspect appears to suddenly attack the victim as she passes by him at 00:44, according to the time stamp on the video.

A gif image showing a man assaulting a woman on a street at around 00:44 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, 2019. [Image: Sina Weibo]

The male attacker repeatedly punches and kicks the victim about 30 times, hitting her mainly on the head, in a space of about 90 seconds.

He also rips up her clothes during the assault.

The video ends with the attacker dragging the woman, who appears to be unconscious, by her head away from the surveillance camera's field of view.

The incident has shocked many Chinese people since it was made public.

According to reports, the victim was able to call the police after the attack and has also received medical treatment for her injuries.

A statement confirming the attack was issued by police in Dalian on Tuesday afternoon.

China's Ministry of Public Security has also appealed to the public for clues that may lead to the arrest of the suspect in the attack. Various people and organisations have assisted the police in locating where the attack took place.

Police investigations into the case are continuing.