Police say the 25-year-old woman who was attacked Tuesday night near Ala Moana Center with a chemical that burned her skin and clothes had told witnesses that her attacker was an unknown man who threw a liquid on her.

But Honolulu Police Department’s Homicide Lt. Deena Thoemmes stopped short of saying the attack was random, saying instead the case is still under investigation and that police are unsure whether it was random or not.

The young woman told witnesses she was walking on the sidewalk near Planet Fitness just before the attack, and ran into the fitness center seeking help.

People there tried to help by pouring water on her until paramedics arrived, Thoemmes said.

When paramedics arrived, they were able to speak to her, but she fell unconscious shortly afterward and remains unconscious and in critical condition, Thoemmes said.

Officers were sent to an aggravated assault-type case, which occurred at about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday.

The man, who was unknown to her, threw some liquid on her that caused her skin and clothes to burn.

When asked if the liquid was thrown onto her face, Thoemmes said the chemical was thrown on most of the front of her body.

Honolulu Emergency Medical Services paramedics responded at 9:19 p.m. They provided advanced life support then transported her to the hospital, EMS said.

“She sustained serious burns to her body and was taken to the hospital in critical condition, where she remains,” Thoemmes said.

The assailant was seen fleeing on foot toward Kapiolani Boulevard.

He is described as a man in his 20s, about 5 feet 8 inches, 160 to 180 pounds, with a medium build, wearing a black-hooded jacket, camouflage pants and a white face mask.

He was last seen shirtless, riding a bicycle with a black backpack from Kona Street onto Keeaumoku Street.

Police are looking for any surveillance video from nearby businesses.

Thoemmes, who spoke at a news conference at HPD headquarters Wednesday afternoon, said the homicide detail received the case Wednesday morning, and will release any video related to the incident if and when it becomes available.

Police have opened a second-degree attempted murder investigation in the case.

The case is reminiscent of the liquid chemical attack of a 20-year-old woman allegedly by her 21-year-old ex-boyfriend outside the Mililani 24 Hour Fitness at 9:30 p.m. April 7.

Paul M. Cameron was charged with second-­degree attempted murder, carrying a firearm in the commission of a separate felony and another weapons charge.

The woman suffered severe chemical burns to her face, shoulders, back and lower extremities, and was in critical condition initially.

Cameron told detectives he was hiking near Hanauma Bay at the time of the alleged attack.

Court documents show that Cameron’s friend told detectives that Cameron asked him on March 28 where to get hydrochloric acid.

The woman told police an unknown male wearing a white face mask approached her and pointed a gun at her. She saw the flash, but did not hear the gunshot. He then threw an unknown liquid on her, and ran off.

Cameron’s phone showed he was in the location of the Mililani gym, but also showed he was in East Oahu at the same time.

An Aug. 13, 2017, article on acid attacks in “The Conversation,” an independent nonprofit network of media outlets with articles written by academic experts, says: “Perpetrators usually intend to disfigure rather than kill their victim … Acid attacks are often specifically used to ruin a woman’s future romantic prospects, her career, financial security and social status …

“Perpetrators of acid violence are almost always men, and toxic masculinity — the desire to permanently victimize someone while demonstrating his own power and brutality — is almost always the underlying cause.”