Craigslist sale ends with hammer attack

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TACOMA, Wash., April 22 (UPI) -- A mother and son were attacked in Tacoma, Wash., by a hammer-wielding man they met through the networking Web site Craigslist, police say.

Tacoma Police Sgt. Mark Fulghum said the mother-son pair, whose identities were not reported, had traveled to Tacoma to complete a purchase for a used automobile posted for sale on Craigslist, The Seattle Times said Wednesday.

Fulghum said the mother and son from Bellevue, Wash., met the unidentified seller at a Tacoma apartment complex Monday night, only to be attacked by the man.

The assault suspect struck the mother three times with a hammer during the attack, while her son endured two hammer strikes before the assailant fled the scene.

Police suspect the man did not live in the complex and had orchestrated the meeting to rob the mother and son of the $3,600 in cash they agreed to pay for the used car.

The Times said both the mother and son only suffered minor injuries in the attack.