Woman, 60, Beaten In Old Irving Robbery Attempt

UPDATED: 5/3/2013 - 5:12 p.m.

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 60-year-old woman is in the hospital after being assaulted while walking down the street in the Old Irving Park neighborhood.

The attack happened just before 11:30 p.m. on Thursday on West Eddy, near North Kedvale Avenue.

Police say a man approached from behind her, shoved her to the ground and tried unsuccessfully to snatch her purse.

When she resisted, he hit her several times and then fled.

The woman suffered injuries on her face, and was being treated at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

The victim, who was in fair condition Friday afternoon, was still shaken after the attack, and said she wasn't ready to speak on camera, but she said she hoped to go home soon.

As for her attacker, she said she never really got a good look at him.

Gerry Klemm found the woman curled up on the ground.

"Her face was so beat up," she said. "The left side of her mouth was torn, so she will have a lot of stitches."

The suspect took off when he saw Klemm approaching.

Klemm thinks the victim was getting in or out of her car when a young man in a black hoodie tried to take her purse.

The neighbors are "not used to type of this thing," said Klemm, who has lived here for 42 years. She called it a "darn good stable neighborhood for a long, long time."

"I have to watch what I do next."

Police are interviewing the victim to try to get a better description of the suspect.