Update, 6:28 p.m. BPD’s Sgt. Friedman said the victim and assailant had a dispute inside the Black & White liquor store shortly before the beating: The suspect left and returned armed with the bat, which was aluminum.

Friedman described the assailant as a black woman in her 30s, 5 foot 2 to 5 foot 5 inches tall, about 200 pounds. She wore a straight black wig or weave down to her mid-back, and was dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt or jacket, blue plaid pants and a bright red rectangular shoulder bag with a black strap. The woman left in a black Chrysler Sebring.

The victim, a man in his 20s, is expected to survive.

Said Friedman, “There were several witnesses to the incident but we are still investigating. We ask anyone who knows the identity of the suspect, or who witnessed the assault, to please contact BPD at 981-5900 as soon as possible.”

Original story, 3:52 p.m. Berkeley Police officers were on the scene Sunday afternoon at Ashby Avenue and Adeline Street, across from the Ashby BART station, after a man was reportedly assaulted by someone with a metal bat, authorities said.

Passers-by alerted Berkeleyside to the incident, and said the metal bat could be seen in the roadway Sunday afternoon.

Berkeley Police Sgt. Jack Friedman said police were called to the scene at 1:55 p.m. by the Alameda County sheriff’s department, which was in the area for some reason.

Friedman said the sheriff’s office reported there had been an assault with a bat.

Berkeley officers were able to get to the area quickly and found a man with a head wound and a second person who had some involvement. But the reported assailant was gone.

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The injured man was conscious and appeared, at least preliminarily, to have non-life-threatening injuries. He was taken to Highland Hospital for treatment.

As of about 3:15 p.m., police were removing the yellow crime scene tape from the area outside a liquor store at Emerson Street and Adeline. Police inside were reviewing surveillance footage and one officer was keeping an eye on a small girl who had no parent or guardian in attendance.

The investigation is still underway, Friedman said. He said he might be able to share additional details, such as the suspect description, later in the day. He declined to state, at this initial time, whether the assailant and victim knew each other.

Have a question about a local public safety incident? Write to crime@berkeleyside.com. Photographs and videos are always appreciated. Berkeleyside added the name of the liquor store to the latest update after publication.

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