A man accused of assaulting a 20-year-old New York University (NYU) student near the school’s Manhattan campus has a history of 16 previous arrests, according to police reports.
James Rizzo, 45, was apprehended by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and now faces charges of persistent sexual abuse, forcible touching, and assault in connection to the recent incident.
The alleged attack took place around 9:20 a.m. on Monday when Rizzo reportedly approached the student from behind, struck her on the head and buttocks, pulled her hair, and then fled the scene, police stated.
In a nighttime public appearance known as a perp walk, Rizzo was led out of a Manhattan precinct wearing a black hoodie and gray sweatpants. He remained silent, ignoring questions from reporters as he was placed into a police vehicle.
The New York Post revealed that Rizzo’s criminal history includes charges of sexual abuse, forcible touching, repeated assaults on women, burglary, and a 1997 arrest for murder. However, New York state prison records indicate that Rizzo does not have a murder conviction on his record.
The New York Post reported Rizzo’s 16 prior arrests include sexual abuse, forcible touching, repeated assaults on women, burglary and a 1997 murder arrest. New York state prison records show Rizzo has no murder conviction on his record.
Rizzo previously served a two-year state sentence for persistent sexual abuse before being released on parole in September, the records show. He was still on active parole on Monday.
WATCH: NYU student allegedly assaulted on way to class, video shows
The victim, identified on social media as NYU student Amelia Lewis, posted video and surveillance footage of the attack on X and TikTok, saying a man had assaulted her on the street without warning.
“When I turned around, I saw this old, White guy, and, like right when I turned around, he like grabbed my f—— hair like this and like yanked me and threw me to the ground,” Lewis said.
A group of girls is then seen in the footage helping her up after she was knocked to the ground.
Lewis said the surveillance video was obtained by a friend of hers from a nearby liquor store. She described the assailant as a tall man with long brown hair and a long brown beard, wearing gray sweatpants, a black puffer jacket and a blue towel around his neck.
WATCH: NYU student recounts shocking street attack
The college student said she sent the video to NYU security, who forwarded the footage to police.
“The University is pleased that a suspect has been apprehended in the attack on one of its students that took place Monday morning on a Broadway sidewalk. We take this incident very seriously,” said NYU spokesperson John Beckman. “We are continuing to offer support to the student, and our Campus Safety Department assisted the victim and worked with the police investigating the incident.”
NYU student Amelia Lewis, right, was allegedly assaulted on her way to class. (Screenshot: X/Amelia Lewis)
“I just really want to emphasize how not OK this is. I am a student at NYU. I should not be scared to be walking the street to go to my 9:30 a.m. class. These people are disgusting, and they should not be able to be walking around the street freely targeting girls and doing this. Cause I heard that this guy did this a month ago,” Lewis said in the video.
“I’m honestly still in shock, but I’m more enraged that things like this are able to happen in this city, and we really need to do something about it because this is unacceptable,” she continued.
“This just shows that you really need to reflect on who you’re voting for and supporting right now because New York needs help, and we’re just not getting the help we need, and this is crazy,” she added.
