Pauley Perrette, an actress on the CBS drama "NCIS," says she was attacked Thursday night by a "psychotic homeless man" who allegedly threatened to kill her.
"I am shaken and traumatized," Perrette said in a message attached to a tweet. "My life changed tonight."
Perrette, 46, said she was walking near her Hollywood home when the man grabbed her arm and punched her in the nose and forehead.
She said the man kept repeating his name — "William" — and said, "DON'T FORGET THAT! I'm going to kill you."
"I was alone, terrified and trapped," Perrette said.
Perrette said she told the attacker that she had a young nephew named William. He continued to punch her, Perrette said, before finally letting her go.
Police have arrested a suspect, LAPD officer Ricardo Hernandez told NBC News. David Merck, 45, was booked on aggravated battery, and his bail was set at $100,000, according to Hernandez.
In her tweet, Perrette appealed for "full mental health care" and "housing and help" for the homeless.
"I need to heal," she said. "I almost died tonight."
