A gardener at a local church has just returned to work following a brutal and seemingly random attack.

The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, was attacked while working on the grounds of Saint John XXIII Roman Catholic Church on May 23, 2019.

Lori Lucas, a restaurant owner in Winnipeg, was stopped at a traffic light at Portage Avenue and Cavalier Drive in the St. James area when she says her employee, who was driving with her at the time, noticed a fight between two men at the church at around 3:30 p.m.

"We're not getting involved," Lucas remembers stating initially. However, as they continued to wait for the light to change, she realized the attack may be more serious than she first thought. When the traffic light finally turned green, however, rather than the cars around her quickly zipping around the turn, the car alongside her slowed, allowing her to make a turn on to Rouge Road. That's when Lucas decided she needed to get involved.

The restaurant owner says she called the police and her and her employee drove over to where the altercation was occurring.

"We see the suspect and he's got the poor gentleman by the throat, and he's kind of limp," Lucas recalls. After pulling up and calling out to the alleged suspect, he dropped the gardener, who "just kind of fell."

Confused as to what the entire situation was, the gardener then called to Lucas, saying he had not hit the alleged suspect. At this point, the restaurant owner realized that the gardener had been assaulted. He told Lucas later that the suspect had also allegedly tried to assault him with a screwdriver.

The suspect allegedly escaped when a dark Ford Explorer with no license plates pulled up to the scene, Lucas says.

"We really need to get the word out about this suspect."

The alleged suspect is known to Lucas as someone she has had to remove from her business' premises before because of "erratic behaviour," and she believes others in the community will also recognize him.

He is described as young with a slim build, with some facial hair and tattoos on his arms.

Security footage prior to the attack showed the suspect allegedly attempting to enter the church through the front doors which were locked before looking around and starting to yell at the gardener.

"I am telling you, he is just the sweetest man, he is such a beautiful, peaceful, soul," shared Lucas, describing the gardener who was assaulted. Following the attack, she says it was hard to see him in the condition he was left, "with blood pouring down and his shirt all ripped, marks on his neck [and] marks on his chest.

"I pray I never have to see anything like that again."

What was amazing to Lucas is how the gardener never fought back. After asking him why, Lucas said that he only shared how he had not wanted to hurt the young man.

The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) is continuing with the investigation.

"This is sunny St. James," said Lucas. "This stuff is not supposed to happen here."