A woman was viciously attacked and robbed as she was exiting a New York City subway station over the weekend, according to footage released by authorities. 

The attack occurred just before 6 p.m. Sunday inside a Manhattan train station on 14th Street and First Avenue as the 23-year-old woman was leaving the L train line. As she was walking past a pair of MetroCard machines, a man came up from behind and punched her in the head, the New York Police Department said. 

The attacker took the woman's backpack, which had inside an Apple MacBook Air laptop and debit and credit cards, police said. 

The suspect fled the scene and the victim sustained swelling to her head. She refused medical attention at the scene. 

A suspected attacker punched a woman in the head while exiting a New York City subway station and took her backpack, police said. (New York Police Department )

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The attacker was described as around 30 years old, 5 foot, 5 inches tall and weighing 200 pounds with a medium build and facial hair.