Published on: October 9, 2024, 10:10h.
Last updated on: October 9, 2024, 10:10h.
Las Vegas Sands Senior Vice President David Paterson, who was previously the Governor of New York, and his stepson, Anthony Sliwa, are currently recovering after being assaulted.
Paterson, aged 70 and legally blind, was punched while Sliwa, aged 20, was pushed to the ground and kicked by two young attackers in Manhattan’s Upper East Side during an incident on Friday, as reported by local media.
Two adults and two boys were arrested in connection with the assault.
Both adults are employees of the city housing authority. One of the suspects, Travor Nurse, aged 40, faced charges of second-degree gang assault and assaulting a victim aged 65 or older. Diamond Minter, aged 34, also faced charges of second-degree gang assault.
They allegedly incited two boys, aged 12 and 13, to attack Paterson and his stepson. Both boys were charged with gang assault, with the younger facing second-degree charges and the older facing third-degree charges.
A third boy was questioned by officers of the New York Police Department (NYPD) but not charged.
The assault took place around 8:30 p.m. on Friday outside 1871 2nd Avenue after a dispute ensued.
Both Admitted to Hospital
Both victims were admitted to Weill Cornell Medical Center for treatment. The former governor sustained a head injury, as reported by the New York Post. Sliwa suffered facial injuries, according to the report.
They were discharged from the hospital on Saturday.
Anthony… is still recovering after being violently attacked, while showing courage alongside Governor Paterson, who is also recovering,” according to a recent post on X, previously Twitter, by Curtis Sliwa, the father of the younger victim. He is the founder of Guardian Angels and had previously run for Mayor of New York City as a Republican.
“If a former Governor can’t be safe from violence, then no one is safe,” Curtis Sliwa added. “Too many #NYC families have experienced a loved one falling victim to violence.”
“Governor Paterson and his family are relieved that the suspects turned themselves in,” a spokesperson for Paterson said in a statement. “We hope that the young individuals involved learn from this unfortunate incident.”
Paterson Commends Stepson
When speaking to reporters on Saturday, Paterson praised the bravery of his stepson.
I think he should be very proud of himself for intervening when he saw them attacking me,” Paterson was quoted as saying.
David Paterson holds the position of Senior Vice President and Senior Advisor at Las Vegas Sands Corp. He has been involved in the company’s efforts to secure a casino license in downstate New York.