Two boys, aged 12 and 13, have been charged with gang assau!t following an attack on former New York Governor David Paterson and his stepson.
The boys turned themselves in to police with their parents on Saturday night, October 5, a day after the incident near Paterson’s apartment. Their names have not been released due to their ages. A third teenager also surrendered but has not been charged.
A spokesperson for Paterson stated, “Gov. Paterson and his family are glad to see the suspects turned themselves in. We hope the young people involved learn something from this unfortunate encounter. The Governor is grateful to the parents for holding their children accountable and thanks the NYPD for their strong work.”
The boys were arraigned in Manhattan Family Court on Sunday and were released into their families’ custody. They are scheduled to return to court on November 6.
“We’ve got nothing to say,” the father of one of the suspects told reporters after his son’s court appearance. “I’m trying to protect my son.”
Paterson described the assault, explaining how he and his stepson defended themselves against a group of about nine people following an earlier altercation involving his stepson.
Paterson, 70, who is legally blind, and his 20-year-old stepson, Anthony Sliwa—the son of Guardian Angels founder and former New York mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa—were approached on Second Avenue around 8:30 p.m. on Friday, according to New York police.
Earlier, about 45 minutes before the attack, Sliwa had confronted three members of the group while walking his dog, Bella, after he saw them climbing a fire escape. When Paterson and Sliwa went to McDonald’s, they were confronted again by the same three individuals, accompanied by about six others.
An argument ensued, during which a woman, estimated by Paterson to be in her 30s, confronted his stepson and threw the first punch.
“This wasn’t just an incident involving young people getting out of hand,” Paterson emphasized.
Anthony Sliwa, who was due to take his purple belt test at the Guardian Angels’ martial arts dojo, initially defended himself but was soon overwhelmed by the number of attackers.
“I got punched in the face a couple of times and I got punched in the shoulder,” Paterson recounted. “But the person who punched me on the shoulder, I threw them against the McDonald’s window myself.”
Paterson sustained bruises and some pain to his head, while Sliwa also suffered bruises and required five stitches for a cut lip, according to Paterson.
On Sunday, the NYPD released surveillance footage featuring five suspects, hoping that someone might recognize them.
It remains unclear whether the two teens who were arrested are among those in the images. The investigation is ongoing.