Manhattan streets have been the location of reported assaults. District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. announced that 45-year-old James Rizzo has been indicted on charges including Assault in the Second Degree, Persistent Sexual Abuse, and Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree. According to the Manhattan DA’s office, the charges stem from two separate incidents in which Rizzo is alleged to have attacked women.
The first alleged assault occurred on November 27, 2025, when Rizzo is reported to have pushed a 68-year-old tourist against a building window on West 47th Street, resulting in injuries that required hospitalization and stitches. Less than a week later, he is accused of assaulting a 20-year-old college student on Broadway near Greenwich Village by slapping her and pushing her to the ground. These incidents follow previous convictions for Forcible Touching in November 2022 and March 2023, which are cited in the Persistent Sexual Abuse charge. Rizzo was arrested on December 2 in connection with an alleged series of residential burglaries, and additional charges are pending related to a December 2023 alleged assault involving another individual.
Assistant District Attorneys Lucy Shephard and Kailey Wilk are handling the prosecution, supervised by a team that includes Jessica Lynn, Vanessa Puzio, and Executive Assistant District Attorneys Lisa DelPizzo and Justin McNabney. District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. stated that the office continues to prioritize cases involving unprovoked assaults on strangers.
Rizzo’s case is part of New York’s ongoing efforts to address crime and ensure public safety. The allegations involve unprovoked assaults, and the case is being closely followed as the legal process continues.
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