Antrim Road: Belfast pharmacist stabbed in 'traumatic' attack
- Published
Conor McAreavey says he was lucky not to suffer tendon damage during the Antrim Road attack on Saturday
A pharmacist from north Belfast has described being stabbed in the hand during an aggravated burglary on Saturday as a "traumatic experience".
Conor McAreavey, from Teague's Pharmacist on Antrim Road, said a man entered the shop at about 17:30 GMT and used a hammer to break through a Covid protection screen.
A "scuffle" ensued and Mr McAreavey was stabbed before the attacker fled.
He told BBC News NI attacks on pharmacists had become a "trend".
'Very lucky'
"We're here on a Saturday providing a service to the community and it's something that has to stop," he explained.
"It's been happening all over north Belfast for the last couple of weeks and it's just unacceptable.
"We are at the frontline here, we're all exhausted after two years of Covid and now as things open up to have this start to happen again to us is just unacceptable and very worrying for the staff."
Mr McAreavey said he was "very lucky" not to suffer tendon damage when he was stabbed.
Police said the attacker was confronted by another man as he left the pharmacy
On Sunday, police said the attacker was described as being 6ft (1.8m) in height, of medium build and wore jeans, a dark coloured hooded jacket, brown framed glasses and a black facemask.
PSNI Det Sgt Dougherty added that as the man left the pharmacy he was confronted by another man and "again brandished his knife" before making off towards Hillman Street.
The officer said police would like to speak to this man "to assist with their enquiries as part of their investigation".
Mr McAreavey, who has been a pharmacist for 26 years, said that without the Covid protection screens in place the attacker "would have been straight into the heart of the dispensary" and "could have taken anything he wanted".
The pharmacist added that he would return to work on Monday as the sector was experiencing a staffing crisis and "there's no other option".
Reacting to the stabbing Gerard Greene, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI, said: "This was a horrible attack on a pharmacy team going about their normal job helping people on a Saturday afternoon.
"We utterly condemn this behaviour. An attack on a local community pharmacy team impacts lots of people who rely on us."
"We would reiterate the call by the PSNI for anyone who witnessed anything to contact them or Crimestoppers."