CHULA VISTA – A mother, accompanied by her two young children, was attacked by a drug-crazed man in the foyer of their gated apartment complex Wednesday and later rescued after several bystanders fought off the assailant, police said.

The woman and her children had just stepped off an elevator at One Park Apartments on Third Avenue near Madrona Street in downtown Chula Vista shortly before 6 p.m. when the man knocked her to the ground and began clawing at her clothing, said police Lt. Daniel Hardman.

Fearing she was about to be raped, the woman screamed to her children to go back to the apartment and call 911.

While the children escaped unharmed and made the frantic phone call, a painter who witnessed the attack tried to come to the woman's aid but couldn't get the upper hand on the man.

The apartment manager, a woman, then entered the fray, and she eventually knocked the assailant to the ground, Hardman said.

At the sight of police officers, the man ran away but was captured after a short chase.

The 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted rape, burglary and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

No one was seriously injured.

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