High school senior speaks out after getting hit in the face with a brick in Manhattan
CHELSEA, Manhattan (WABC) -- An 18-year-old high school senior is speaking out after he was pummeled in the face with a brick while eating his lunch in New York City.
In video obtained exclusively by Eyewitness News, 18-year-old Ethan Maddi can be seen sitting on a stoop eating his lunch when out of nowhere, a man approaches and smashes Maddi in the face with a brick.
The suspect then runs away before returning to grab Maddi's backpack and then disappears down the block.
An onlooker called for help as the victim tried to stand and then collapsed on the sidewalk.
"I don't even remember what I got for lunch," Maddi said.
Maddi is now out of the hospital. He had a concussion and suffered severe injuries to his face.
"When he hit me he broke my left orbital and my left sinus, had a laceration outside and inside the lip, and he hit my neck," Maddi said.
The NYPD released surveillance video of the suspect picking up a brick, then hiding it behind him as he appeared to look for someone to hit.
"It is terrifying. You hear of your son being attacked with a brick the first thing you think is like brain injury, what's gonna happen what does this mean," Ethan Maddi's mother Yndhira Maddi said.
The brick was sitting at the bottom of a tree in front of a hotel at 20th and 10th, and there are still quite few others sitting there for whatever reason, a few days later.
The brick was a solid five or 10 pounds.
As far as Ethan Maddi is concerned, it could have done even more damage.
"I do feel that this is a bigger problem. There's a lot of people they have mental illness that is not being treated, they have so much that's happening with unemployment," Yndhira Maddi said.
Ethan Maddi grew up in the city and goes to school in the neighborhood. He and his mom have lived just a few blocks away for years and have always felt perfectly safe in the city.
"You grow up in the city you think you're good you know? Just live in the city every day you see stuff happen you never think it's gonna happen to you. But then like ... just people gotta be more alert," Maddi said.
Now, police want others to be on alert for the suspect, who is still at large and free to strike again.
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