Man charged after violent attack in Pittsburgh

A Pittsburgh man is charged in connection with the beating of an ex-girlfriend’s childhood friend and leaving him with a concussion.

Grover Walker, 36, is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and robbery. He was taken into custody on Monday.

On May 28, Joseph Hogan visited the home of his childhood friend to catch up, police said. Following their visit, Hogan left her house around 2:30 p.m. and went to the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Shetland Street to catch a bus.

While he was waiting, Walker —who was identified in a video — approached him and asked for a cigarette, according to police reports.

Surveillance footage from a building on the 600 block of Lincoln Avenue captured Walker approaching Hogan at the intersection, according to court records. After about three seconds, Walker punched Hogan in the face, then grabbed him and slammed him to the ground, police said.

While Hogan lay unconscious, the video, according to court documents, showed Walker allegedly rifling through his pockets. A passing FedEx truck briefly blocked the view, but once it moved out of frame, he stopped rummaging and began to walk away, leaving Hogan’s body on the ground.

Walker took a few steps into the street before he turned around and struck Hogan again, police said.

“Walker is then seen standing over-top of Hogan and delivered two more closed fist strikes to Hogan’s face while he laid there limp and defenseless,” the police report said.

Hogan was transported to UPMC Presbyterian and with injuries including broken ribs, a broken nose, bruising, missing teeth and a concussion.

He told police that he was “going in and out of consciousness during the ride,” and that the only thing he remembered from the attack was waking up in the hospital, according to court documents.

The childhood friend told police that she had been dating Walker for the past three years and they had just recently broken up. After Hogan left, Walker called her and asked who had left just left her house, the report said.

Hogan could not be reached for comment.

Hogan told police that he Walker stole his iPhone. He said he had never met Walker before.

Walker could not be reached for comment.

Court documents did not list an attorney representing Walker.

“To this day (Hogan) is still experiencing dizziness and pain from his injuries,” the police report said.