NEW YORK– Two more people have been arrested following a police call a mob attack on former New York Governor David Paterson and his stepsonAnthony Sliwa, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
The NYPD said that before two boys aged 12 and 13 had turned themselves in to stand trial in the case. Now police say two adults will also be charged.
Trevor Nurse, 40, and Diamond Mintor, 34, were taken into custody and charges are pending against them, police say.
Former New York governor and his stepson attacked
Police said the 70-year-old former governor and his 20-year-old stepson were victims of a gang attack Friday evening at Second Avenue and 96th Street.
Paterson said it started when he and his stepson were walking their dog and saw three people climbing a fire escape. He said they interviewed the individuals and about 45 minutes later they went back outside and found the crowd had grown. They may have recognized his stepson from the first meeting and became violent.
Over the weekend, Paterson and Sliwa’s father, founder of Guardian Angels and former mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, spoke out about the attack.
“When they insulted him and started fighting him, he didn’t back down. And I think that took a lot of courage, a lot of courage,” Paterson said.
“He did the right thing. And when they attacked him, he did the right thing to protect David Paterson,” Curtis Sliwa said.
Both Paterson and his stepson were treated and released from the hospital.
Youths arrested on charges of gang assault
A 12-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy are both charged with gang assault in the attack. Their names are not being released.
“They are pleased that the suspects have turned themselves in and hope that the young people involved learn something from this encounter,” the Paterson family said in a statement. “The governor is grateful that the children’s parents are holding them accountable.”
Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via their website. All conversations are treated confidentially.
