Police in Dalian, Liaoning Province, have arrested a suspect, a 31-year-old man who allegedly beat a woman in a late-night attack.

A gif image showing a man assaulting a woman on a street at around 00:44 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, 2019. [Image: Sina Weibo]

Authorities say the suspect has confessed, saying he was in a bad mood because of emotional disputes with his girlfriend. After drinking, he encountered the victim in the early morning of June 22, 2019 and attacked her.

Surveillance video of the attack sparked an online manhunt for the perpetrator.

The 29-year-old victim says she was on her way home when the assault took place. She was able to contact police after the attack and was treated in hospital for "soft tissue damage," according to a statement by Dalian police.

The statement has been criticized online, with many questioning the extent of the police reporting of the victim's injuries. Many online contend the attack caused mere facial injuries, as the video shows the victim also received kicks to both her head and mid-section.