‘NCIS’ Star Pauley Perrette Attacked In Hollywood By Homeless Man: ‘I Almost Died Tonight’

NCIS star Pauley Perrette is used to danger whenever she works on the set as forensic scientist Abby Sciuto. She’s not used to being the victim though, and that’s what almost happened to her outside her Hollywood home on Friday morning. Perrette revealed early on Friday that she was assaulted overnight by a “psychotic homeless man,” and honestly thought she was going to die.

She took to Twitter on Friday to reveal the entire situation.

“I almost died tonight. Tonight was awful, life changing and I’m only grateful to be alive.”

According to CNN, Perrette was grabbed by the homeless man, at which point he pinned her arm and then punched her repeatedly in the nose and forehead. It was then that he kept on telling her that he was going to kill her.

Perrette was alone at the time and realized there was an empty garage immediately behind her. She knew that if he was able to get her into that garage, there was no way she could get away and he was going to kill her.

So, tonight was awful, life changing and I’m only grateful to be alive. It’s here: pic.twitter.com/vXIT1pkVRc

— Pauley Perrette (@PauleyP) November 13, 2015

Maybe it was the training she received as a cast member on NCIS or maybe it was just instinct, but Perrette said she started praying and then tried to connect with the homeless man. After a little while, he eventually just looked at her and told her to “get the f*** out of here.”

She left the scene and shortly after, collapsed to the sidewalk in shock and not knowing exactly what to make of the situation that just happened.

Fox News reported that the 46-year-old actress learned her attacker’s name and it was William. She proceeded to tell him that he had a beautiful name and it was one that her nephew shared with him. He wasn’t pleased and continued to hit her.

It was a time in her life that she never expected to happen, but one that she will never forget.

As she lay on the sidewalk, a dog walked up to her and licked her face. The dog was much kinder than his owner who was on his phone, looked down at Perrette and did absolutely nothing. Perrette wasn’t done though.

She immediately texted a friend of hers and her “church cop friend.” Perrette proceeded to draw a picture of her homeless attacker which was given to police and photographed by her friend, James.

Not long after, the man was found.

“[He] was headed towards Hollywood Blvd with murder in his eyes…[James] found the guy, surveilled him, the cops came and followed James to him. They got him. Felony assault.”

Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department were on the job. One officer in particular, Richardo Hernandez, confirmed that a white male by the name of David Merck had been arrested on battery charges and thrown in jail. The 45-year-old man was being held on $100,000.

Police records did not show an attorney for Merck as of Friday afternoon. The police did say that Merck is a known transient with a history of run-ins with the LAPD, so this wasn’t something totally out of the ordinary for him.

Pauley Perrette has played the role of Abby Sciuto for a very long time on NCIS, and she’s a huge activist for civil and human rights. Even after being attacked by a homeless man and thinking she may end up dead, she still tweeted out that better mental health care and help for the homeless and support for the police was needed.

[Image via CBS]