Two boys, ages just 12 and 13, have been charged with gang assault for the attack on former Gov. David Paterson and his stepson on the Upper East Side.
The boys surrendered to police with their parents Saturday night, a day after the clash near the former governor’s apartment. A third teen also surrendered but has not been charged.
The teens’ names have not released by cops because they are underage.
Paterson recounted the assault in a press conference Saturday afternoon, describing how he and his stepson fought off a group of about nine people after his stepson quarreled with some of the attackers earlier in the evening.
Paterson, 70, who is legally blind, and his 20-year-old stepson Anthony Sliwa — the son of Guardian Angels founder and former mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa — were walking on Second Ave. about 8:30 p.m. Friday when the group confronted them near E. 97th St., cops said.
About 45 minutes earlier, Sliwa was out by himself walking his dog, Bella, and argued with three members of the group after spotting them scaling a fire escape on the side of a building, Paterson said.
Paterson and Sliwa were headed to the McDonald’s when the same three confronted them, flanked by about six others, Paterson said.
They argued, and a woman, who Paterson estimated to be at least in her 30s, confronted his stepson, then threw the first punch, the former governor said.
“This just wasn’t an incident involving young people who were getting out of hand,” he said.
The young Sliwa, who was scheduled to take his purple belt test at the Guardian Angels’ martial arts dojo this week, held his own but soon became overwhelmed by the number of attackers.
“I got punched in the face a couple times and I got punched in the shoulder,” Paterson said. “But the person who punched me on the shoulder, I threw them against the McDonalds window myself.”
Paterson suffered bruises and some pain to his head. Sliwa, also battered and bruised, received a cut lip that required five stitches, Paterson said.
The NYPD early Saturday released surveillance footage of five suspects in the hopes someone would recognize them.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the two teens arrested were included in those photos.
Cops are asking anyone with additional information to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All tips will be kept confidential.
Paterson was lieutenant governor under Gov. Eliot Spitzer and took over as governor in March 2008 after Spitzer resigned mid-term following a prostitution scandal. Paterson was New York State’s first Black governor. He served the remainder of the term, until the end of 2010, but did not seek reelection.