Victim speaks out after unprovoked attack in Philadelphia leaves him badly injured
A victim is speaking out after being attacked in Philadelphia's Old City neighborhood during Halloween weekend that left him badly injured. Police are still looking for a suspect and hope surveillance video will help.
Tommy Finley, 22, has already had one surgery after investigators say the Glen Mills native was slugged in the face.
"He took one step and just cracked me, which was like, 'boom,'" Finley said in an exclusive interview with CBS News Philadelphia.
The attack, captured on numerous surveillance cameras, happened around 1:20 a.m. Saturday in the area of 6th and Chestnut streets in Old City, police said.
"I have an incision here, I have an incision in my mouth and I have three plates in my face forever," he said with a white bandage wrapped from below his jaw and stretching around his head.
Finley said he and his girlfriend had been out celebrating Halloween. He took the night off from working in the family business. The couple had a room at a nearby hotel and left to get some food when they say they encountered the man in the red jacket.
"He didn't say a word to me. He just walked up and hit me so hard," Finley said. "Broke my jaw here and shattered my jaw over here and moved my tooth completely out of place."
Central Detectives Capt. Jason Smith said it appears the suspect may have been intoxicated and was last seen running south on 6th Street.
"It was a totally viscous attack," Smith said. "It was captured and was random and unprovoked. We are looking for individuals who may have a contact with this person, even a first name. Any information could potentially help us solve this investigation."
Meanwhile, Finley, who remained conscious after the blow, said the shock hadn't worn off.
"In a flash — like what just happened," he said. "In the span of a minute, I'm on the phone with cops, she's on the phone with the cops, this guy's crazy."
Emotionally, Finley said it has had a negative effect and says he doesn't think he'll be returning to Center City anytime soon.
"Guess it's changed my perspective of people really of people," Finley said, "which is sad, you don't like to think that way, I'm sorry."