Homeless Career Criminal with History of Assaulting Women Arrested for Slapping NYU Student, Pulling Her Hair (VIDEO)
A homeless man with a lengthy criminal history was arrested Monday after allegedly assaulting an NYU student in Manhattan.
James Rizzo, 45, reportedly struck 20-year-old student Amelia Lewis and pulled her hair while she was walking to class near Astor Place. Police say this incident followed a similar attack just days earlier.
According to authorities, Rizzo had allegedly assaulted a 68-year-old woman on Fifth Avenue near West 47th Street on Thanksgiving Day. He reportedly shoved the woman, causing her to fall and sustain a minor cut.
Rizzo faces charges in both cases, including assault, persistent sexual abuse, and forcible touching related to the attack on Lewis.
“I’m honestly still in shock, but I’m more enraged that things like this are able to happen in this city,” Lewis wrote on social media. “We really need to do something about it because this is unacceptable.”
NYU student assault pic.twitter.com/LxFhzmiafM
— Amelia Lewis (@AmeliaLewi33832) December 1, 2025
Police continue to investigate the incidents and have emphasized the importance of public safety in Manhattan.
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