Two additional suspects have been apprehended for allegedly assaulting former Gov. David Paterson and his stepson on the Upper East Side Friday night, police announced Monday.
Trevor Nurse, 40, and Diamond Minter, 35, were taken into custody for the vicious Oct. 4 attack that left Paterson, 70, and his stepson — Anthony Sliwa, 20 — hospitalized for treatment of their injuries.
Nurse and Minter were picked up less than 48 hours after cops charged two boys, ages 12 and 13, in connection with the assault. Their identities were not released due to their age. One other suspect in the case remains on the lam.
Detectives escorted the two adult suspects out of the 23rd Precinct stationhouse on Oct. 7. When amNewYork Metro asked about the motive, Nurse said, “He attacked me. Look at my eye. He punched me. I defended myself.” He did not, however, specify whether it was Paterson or Sliwa who purportedly “attacked” him.
Cops said the assault unfolded at about 8:35 p.m. on Oct. 4 in front of a McDonald’s restaurant at 1871 2nd Ave., about a block away from the Paterson residence.
Police reported that the group engaged the former governor and his stepson in a verbal dispute. According to WABC-TV, the group members and Sliwa — who is a son of Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa — were known to each other and had a previous encounter.
The words quickly turned violent, cops said, when the group went on the attack, striking Paterson and Anthony Sliwa multiple times about their faces and bodies. Following the beatdown, the group fled the scene on foot southbound along 2nd Avenue.
Paterson suffered injuries to his head and face, while Sliwa suffered facial injuries, authorities said. EMS rushed both of them to Weill Cornell Medical Center for treatment and they were listed in stable condition.
Paterson, a former state senator who was elected lieutenant governor in 2006, was elevated to New York’s chief executive two years later following the resignation of scandal-stricken Gov. Eliot Spitzer. Paterson, who is also visually impaired, became the first African American governor of New York, serving the remainder of Spitzer’s term before giving way to Andrew Cuomo.
Following the attack, the NYPD released images of the five suspects wanted for the attack on the former governor and his stepson. Police did not specify which of the photographed suspects had been arrested.
Anyone with information regarding the assault or the suspects involved can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
