NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Police are on the hunt for a robber they say targeted an elderly woman and punched her repeatedly inside her apartment building lobby.

The brutal attack was caught on surveillance video.

MORE: Man Violently Robs 81-Year-Old Woman In West Village

Police say after a trip to the pharmacy, 81-year-old Barbara Davidson entered her building near West 13th Street and 7th Avenue Friday around 7 p.m when out of nowhere a man followed her inside.

The suspect punched Davidson repeatedly in the head and face, according to police.

She then fell to the ground before police say the suspect ran off with her purse.

“I was an easy mark. I was just about ready to put the key in the door when I felt the, really, big blow on my head,” she said.

Davidson, a working actress who has lived in the building for over 40 years, suffered bumps and bruises from the attack but is expected to be okay.

She just filmed a movie this year, and you can also see her in the 2008 film “Don’t Mess with the Zohan” alongside Adam Sandler.

Davidson told CBS2’s Reena Roy the experience has made her stronger.

“Just be careful people, because you just don’t know,” she said. “One of the things I can say is, especially to women who are older, just kind of watch out.”

81-yr-old Barbara Ann Davison says she’s ok but didn’t realize how badly she was punched when mugged in her vestibule on 13th St. #1010WINS pic.twitter.com/b79GxVGfh3 — Samantha Liebman (@SamiLiebman) October 21, 2017

Davidson said she couldn’t see the assailant because she was facing the apartment.

“I turned around, with real pain,” she said. “I had a big red bag. I saw the red bag flying out the door.”

Neighbors heard her screams for help, rushed to her side and called 911.

“I and several other neighbors came out of our apartments and helped her up. We asked what happened, one person was running out of the door to find the guy,” witness Virginia Koenig said.

Police said the suspect was a black man wearing all black.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stopper Hotline at 800-577-TIPS or for Spanish 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit tips on the Crime Stoppers Website or by texting them to 274637(CRIMES) then entering TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.