Houston police are investigating a report of a woman who said
she was assaulted and had her purse stolen Sunday night in the
parking lot of a local WalMart.  Maria Melendez saod she was
leaving the store located at 13484 Northwest Fwy with her sister
and niece when a man grabbed her purse, knocked her to the
ground and fled before she could stop him.  Melendez was not
badly injured, but she remains shaken up by what happened to
her.  "The man grabbed her purse and tried to go, but she
wouldn't let go," said Reyna Rodriguez, a niece of Melendez who
witnessed the incident. "He pushed her and hit her on the
shoulder."  Melendez fell to the ground and has several scrapes
and bruises on her arm, shoulder and knee.  A family member
ofMelendez said the store should have more security and lighting
in the parking lot.  They are also upset because they say it
took Houston police three hours to respond to the call about the
assault and purse theft.  According to HPD spokesman John Canon,
the person who called 9-1-1 foll