Pennsylvania transit officer attacked by man in Philadelphia

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Bodycam catches man shoving SEPTA officer to the ground

Police call attack 'unprovoked', search for the suspect still ongoing

A female transit police sergeant in Philadelphia sustained head, neck and back injuries after she was violently thrown to the ground while investigating a trespasser on Monday -- and the attack was caught on video.

Bodycam footage released Tuesday from SEPTA shows the police sergeant heading to a call for a report of young trespassers near the train tracks in the southwest section of the city.

Police say this man violently shoved a female officer to the ground in Philadelphia. (FOX 29)

The officer then walks over to help a fellow cop when a man is seen running up and showing her to the ground using both his hands before running off as she tells him to "stop."

"This was something that did not have to happen," SEPTA Police Sgt. Michael Wright told FOX 29. "This was something that was unprovoked."

After being knocked to the ground, the officer's camera then points towards the sky as bystanders come over to check on her.

"Pretty sure never in a million years you expect to be violently knocked down, simply just responding to find out why this person was inside of a track area," Wright told FOX 29.

The transit agency released images of the suspect, who is believed to be between 30 and 35 years old and 6-feet tall. Authorities said he was wearing a white t-shirt and green and black camouflage-style cargo shorts.

The officer was taken to a hospital for her injuries, and was later released to recover at home, FOX 29 reported.