Former governor David Paterson and his stepson were involved in a minor street attack, resulting in minor injuries. Police believe Paterson was not the intended target of the assault.
The former governor of New York, David A. Paterson, and his stepson were involved in an assault on a Manhattan street. The incident occurred on Friday evening in the Upper East Side when they were attacked following a verbal altercation with five individuals. Both Mr. Paterson, 70, and his stepson, Anthony Sliwa, 20, sustained minor injuries and were taken to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in stable condition.
According to the police, the former governor was not specifically targeted in the assault but was injured during the altercation. The incident took place while Mr. Paterson and Mr. Sliwa were out for a walk near their residence and encountered the group of individuals. It was mentioned that Mr. Sliwa had a prior interaction with the assailants, although the details of this interaction were not immediately clear.
Anthony Sliwa is the son of Curtis Sliwa, a former Republican mayoral candidate and founder of the Guardian Angels, an anti-crime organization. Following the assault, Mr. Paterson and his stepson were discharged from the hospital and sent home. They had been taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure, as they both sustained injuries but were able to defend themselves during the attack. A police report was filed regarding the incident.
In a statement, a spokesman for Mr. Paterson emphasized that the former governor’s primary concern was to discourage any attempts to exploit the violent incident for personal or political purposes. Mr. Paterson and his wife, Mary Alexander Paterson, expressed gratitude for the support they received from various individuals and communities following the assault.
The five individuals involved in the assault were not identified and reportedly fled the scene on foot along Second Avenue. Law enforcement authorities are actively seeking the suspects, with footage of the individuals, some of whom appeared to be teenagers, being circulated online by the Police Department.
David A. Paterson, the 55th governor of New York and the first African American to hold the office, served from 2008 to 2010. He assumed the governorship following the resignation of his predecessor, Eliot Spitzer, who stepped down in 2008 amidst a scandal involving a prostitution ring. Mr. Paterson, a Democrat with a lengthy tenure in the State Senate, faced his own challenges during his governorship, including navigating through personal controversies and managing a state budget impacted by economic downturn.
After completing his term as governor, David A. Paterson did not seek re-election. The assault on Mr. Paterson and his stepson is currently under investigation by law enforcement authorities, with efforts ongoing to locate and apprehend the individuals responsible for the attack.
Source: The NY Times
