Terrifying and Bizarre ‘Tree Branch’ Assault Happened In West Seneca

Battery and assault are very serious crimes that a person can commit. There's a reason that police take these incidents so seriously, because of the bodily harm that can come because of them. However, this story of assault is even more bizarre and terrifying.

The West Seneca Police Department says that a man was arrested this past Saturday afternoon, after a truly horrifying and bizarre incident that took place.

It took place on East & West Road in West Seneca. A female jogger was running past a male, who would turn out to be 19-year-old Ryan J. Strunk, and that's when Strunk starting yelling derogatory comments at the jogger, completely unprovoked.

The victim started to walk away but Strunk chased her and picked up a large tree branch and started hitting her with it. Strunk struck the victim over 20 times with the tree branch as he chased her, screaming while doing so.

The victim came across an occupied DDSO complex safety vehicle and she was able to get inside and together they called 911.

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Strunk didn't stop, however; he proceeded to hop on the hood of the car. When police arrived they were forced to taser him after he refused to get down off the hood and hitting the windshield. Strunk resisted arrest and tried to grab the West Seneca Police officer's handgun. An off-duty officer then saw what was happening and assisted to get Strunk handcuffed and arrested.

The list of charges is long.

Strunk was charged with second-degree assault with intent to injure; second-degree assault with intent to injure a police officer; fourth-degree criminal mischief with damage to a state vehicle; third-degree menacing and resisting arrest. He's being held on a $25,000 bond and will undergo a mental health evaluation.

The victim is okay but did sustain bruising and pain from the attack.

I have no words for that incident. Very few stories of an arrest are as bizarre as that one and it's horrifying that it was completely unprovoked...