A 50-year-old woman sustained minor injuries after being attacked from behind during an attempted purse snatching on the east Mountain late Tuesday night.

Const. Debbie McGreal-Dinning said the victim was walking in the area of Fennell and Glenford avenues at about 11:30 p.m. when a younger woman approached her from behind and pushed her to the ground.

The assailant kicked and punched the woman while trying to grab her purse, but the victim refused to let go. A witness from a nearby building yelled out, startling the thief, who ran off before police arrived.

The suspect is described as white, in her late teens to early 20s, five feet seven inches tall, with a heavy build and dark hair. She wore a green hoodie or jacket and grey sweatpants.

Mountain division detectives continue their investigation.