Blind man attacked, robbed in Northern Liberties

NORTHERN LIBERTIES (WPVI) -- A blind man was attacked with a brick and robbed outside of his home in Northern Liberties.

"By the time I got to this house over here, I realized I had too much blood spraying. I saturated my clothes and so I had to stop," said Matt McAvoy.

McAvoy can't describe his attacker because he's blind. However he knows he has a slew of staples in his head.

Surveillance video moments before the attack shows McAvoy walking down the 1000 block of North Leithgow Street. His assailant follows behind with a brick inside a bag.

Around midnight last night, when McAvoy got to his front door:

"The next thing I know I was bludgeoned on the back of the head by something. I didn't know what it was," he said.

The thief robbed him and fled.

A neighbor rushed outside to apply pressure to McAvoy's gaping wound.

Ian Optenberg's surveillance system captured video.

"It's creepy. The guy was hunting, basically that what was going on," said Optenberg.

Investigators believe McAvoy was likely tailed from Sancho Pistola's on Girard where he was hanging out Thursday night.

Witnesses saw the suspect there and at the 7-Eleven across the street. Police are now working to retrieve that surveillance video.

The suspect was wearing a black fleece with a white shirt.

The fleece and McAvoy's cell phone were found at Master and Marshall streets.

"I think it's the most chicken thing that anyone can do who wants to get 50 bucks and a few cancelled credit cards, is to hit someone in the back of the head, especially a blind person," he said.

Meanwhile anyone with information about the attacker is urged to contact Philadelphia Police.