Man, 73, attacked in downtown Pittsburgh; suspect in custody

PITTSBURGH — A 73-year-old man was attacked Wednesday afternoon in downtown Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh police said the attack happened around noon near the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Smithfield Street.

The victim told police he was walking down the street when the suspect approached him.

He tried to run away, but the suspect chased him and hit him in the head, police said.

The victim fell to the ground and suffered a face injury. He was taken to a local hospital and is in stable condition.

Officers identified the suspect as Jameel Huff, 24, through surveillance video.

Court documents say Huff told police he attacked the victim because he “heard it in his mind” that he was a pedophile.

Huff is charged with aggravated assault.

Channel 11 received a statement from the victim:

“Yesterday, I was attacked in downtown Pittsburgh by an individual with known mental health issues. This was not an incident of antisemitism. First responders including police and emergency services responded quickly and professionally to this attack. As the city council is trying to encourage more people to live downtown, I urge them to make sure downtown stays safe so that we can better protect the people who live there.”

We received the following response from Pittsburgh Public Safety:

“In response to the need for enhanced and coordinated mental and behavioral health services, the Director of Public Safety, Lee Schmidt, is convening a group of key public safety operational and justice system stakeholders across the city to move forward with a comprehensive plan of action with the goal of eliminating incidents like those that have recently occurred Downtown.

“Partners will include multiple law enforcement agencies, District Attorney Zappala’s Office, Allegheny County Courts, Allegheny County Department of Human Services, as well as mental health and wellness providers across our city.

“The Department of Public Safety is eager to work together on an ongoing basis to streamline and improve resources that best support and meet the needs of those suffering from serious mental illness while ensuring the safety of all Pittsburgh residents and visitors.”

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