Man accused of impersonating police officer, attacking victim with brick

PITTSBURGH — A 73-year-old Squirrel Hill man is recovering after police say a man who identified himself as a police officer tried to break into his home Monday.

The victim, David Russell, returned to his apartment for the first time Tuesday.  His head is in a bandage and his eyes are black and blue.

Police said Matthew Morrow pretended to be a police officer to get himself inside Russell’s Murray Avenue apartment.

Once inside, Morrow told Russell he needed to repair a leak at the back of his home, and Morrow picked up a brick and hit him several times in the face, Russell said.

Russell fought him off, and there was a scuffle that ended in at the back of Mineo’s.

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Medics rushed Russell to the hospital.  His nephew told WPXI news reporter Gabriella DeLuca his injuries looked even worse.

“The best way I could describe it is the first round of Rocky Balboa when they were both at the fight.  His whole right side was swollen. His right eye was like a bloody ball swollen,” Merritt Russell said.

Police arrested Morrow and charged him with aggravated assault, burglary and impersonating a public servant.

Police paperwork says there's surveillance video shows Morrow holding up a chair ready to hit the victim with it before he was stopped.

Cox Media Group