A homeless career criminal, James Rizzo, with 16 prior arrests, is accused of assaulting an NYU student on her way to class in Manhattan. This incident follows a similar attack on a 68-year-old woman on Fifth Avenue just days earlier.
Rizzo allegedly shoved the elderly woman, causing her to fall and suffer a small cut. He then targeted 20-year-old student, Amelia Lewis, slapping her head and buttocks and pulling her hair in a shocking incident on Broadway. Rizzo faces charges of assault, persistent sexual abuse, and forcible touching.
Amelia Lewis took to social media to express her outrage at the assault, emphasizing the need to address such unacceptable behavior in the city. Rizzo is also accused of randomly slapping a 59-year-old woman in a separate incident.
The suspect was caught burglarizing an apartment near Washington Square Park, leading to the connection of four burglaries in the same building. His arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court is pending.
