Former Gov. David Paterson and his stepson were brutally assaulted on the Upper East Side Friday night by a group of assailants who remain at large as of Saturday morning, police reported.
Paterson, 70, and his stepson — Anthony Sliwa, 20 — had to be hospitalized for treatment of their injuries and are expected to recover.
Meanwhile, the NYPD is on the hunt for the five perpetrators involved in the heinous attack, which occurred 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 Pateson 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 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 Sliwa multiple times about their faces and bodies. Following the beatdown, the group fled the scene on foot southbound along 2nd Avenue.
Officers from the 23rd Precinct and EMS responded to the incident. 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.
Meanwhile, the NYPD released images of the five suspects sought for attacking the former governor and his stepson. Police described each of them as follows:
- Suspect 1: A female with a dark complexion and purple braids who wore light-colored pants, a dark-colored sweater, and purple-and black sneakers.
- Suspect 2: A male with a dark complexion who wore a blue t-shirt, a black hooded sweatshirt, a hat with the Yankees logo, light-colored jeans, and light-colored sneakers.
- Suspect 3: A male with a light complexion who wore a red t-shirt, light-colored pants, and light-colored slippers. He also had a black sweater tied around his waist.
- Suspect 4: A male with a medium complexion who wore a gray t-shirt with a graphic on the front, black pants, and light-colored shoes.
- Suspect 5: A male with a dark complexion who wore a t-shirt with a graphic on the front, a black sweatshirt, black pants, and light-colored sneakers.
Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts 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.
