VIDEO: Father holding toddler attacked by another man inside Fair Oaks Mall

FAIRFAX, Va. - A man holding his young child was attacked inside a store at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax by another customer over the weekend. The altercation was caught on video and police are now asking for help in identifying the attacker.

It all happened last Saturday at around 2:30 p.m. when the suspect was asked to leave to leave the Spencer's Gifts store.

The father had his 2-year-old daughter sleeping on his shoulder taking a nap when the suspect wearing a white tank top and a hat on backwards takes several swings at the father striking him several times. The little girl also took a glancing blow, according to her father.

“I don't know what pushed him to go that far, especially with my baby sleeping on my shoulder, so it's insane,” the father said.

He agreed to tell his story to FOX 5 as long as we did not use his name.

Before the assault, the suspect allegedly attempted to steal something from the store and was asked to leave. About ten minutes later, he returned calling people names.

The victim's wife is the store’s assistant manager.

"He kept saying, ‘Call mall security, call mall security,’ and that is when I stepped in and asked him nicely to leave please, and then he proceeded to call me names and my daughter names, and then he pulled out his phone and recorded us and called us names while he is recording us,” the victim said. "So I just lightly pushed his phone out of my face, and then I guess his temper just got out of hand and he just started whaling on both my daughter and I.”

The victim said the suspect is a man in his early 20s standing over 6’ tall. He has a tattoo on his shoulder.

Fairfax County police and security were called to the store after the assault.

If you have any information about the suspect, you are asked to call police at 703-691-2131 or 1-866-411-TIPS.