NORTH VERSAILLES, Pa. -- An elderly Walmart greeter who was punched in the face and seriously hurt outside the store in North Versailles talked to Channel 11 News after leaving the hospital on Friday.

VIDEO: Interview With Thomas Jenkins

Shortly after the incident happened Tuesday night, Channel 11 News got the surveillance video, which shows a man walking up to Thomas Jenkins, 72, of McKeesport, and punching him, causing him to fall. The punch, police said, broke all of the bones on the left side on Jenkins’ face.

"I am walking down, the next thing you know, boom, I'm on the ground. I didn't see nothing coming," said Jenkins. "All I hear is, 'Pow,' and I am on the ground laying."

Police identified the suspect as Paul Washington, 55, of North Versailles.

"I walked out, and he punched me. That was it," Jenkins said. "I didn't know what happened," Jenkins said.

Jenkins showed off the bruises on his face, saying, "I got stitches in my mouth, and my eye's all black and blue. I got bones all cracked in my face."

Jenkins, who said the man who punched him was "no good," was taken to UPMC McKeesport Hospital and then to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital because of the severity of his injuries.

"It felt terrible," said Jenkins. "It's hard to explain. All I know is my teeth fell out of my mouth in two pieces and I started bleeding. I almost bled to death."

Police are investigating a report that Jenkins may have asked Washington to show his receipt when he left the store earlier this week. Washington told police Jenkins bumped into him, police said.

"I never bumped him," said Jenkins. "I never seen the guy in my life."

“He just cold-clocked him. He went up there, and there was no, ‘Hey, you.’ He just went up and whacked him,” said North Versailles police Chief James Comunale.

"It's wrong," said Jenkins. I am the guy suffering. I am the one ashamed to go out in public with my face looking like this, all swelled up, can't hardly talk. I'm not allowed to cough. I'm not allowed to chew. I got to put everything in a blender."

Jenkins said the incident has hurt him physically and financially. He said he was working because he desperately needed the money to pay his gas bill. Jenkins said he's getting workman's comp, but it's not nearly enough to meet his needs.

Washington is charged with assault, harassment, disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and criminal mischief. He is being held at the Allegheny County Jail.

---

• E-Mail Newsletter: Get The Latest News Sent To Your E-Mail!
• Mobile: Get WPXI Headlines On Your Phone, iPhone, More
• RSS: Add Us To Your Page!

---