The Manhattan mother brutally attacked by a crazed legal as she pushed her tot in a stroller described the horrifying ordeal to The Submit on Tuesday — and demanded to know why the suspect was even on the streets.
“I assumed I used to be going to die as a result of he was choking me at one level,” stated the 43-year-old mom of two, who was together with her 2-year-old daughter when she was abruptly randomly assaulted in Hudson River Park in Chelsea on Monday.
“I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t get out,’’ stated the mother, an adjunct professor at a metropolis faculty who spoke on situation of anonymity.
“I don’t wish to be right here anymore,” added the girl, who has been within the metropolis on and off for about 20 years. “I wish to go away. This doesn’t really feel protected. For the reason that pandemic, every part has modified on this space.
“My daughter is 2 years previous, and he or she’s sitting there in silence because the man is choking me and punching me and saying, ‘F–ok the NYPD,’ “ stated the married mother, who additionally has a 4-month-old daughter.
“He stated one thing to me like, ‘I’m sorry. I simply wish to die by suicide by cop.’ I used to be like, ‘You don’t have to do that.’ “
Police stated Argenis Rivera, a 33-year-old profession legal with no less than a dozen arrests on his rap sheet, dedicated the brazen broad-daylight assault — and even slugged and choked a second lady on the park moments later.
He has a historical past of psychiatric points and was initially taken to Bellevue Hospital for a psychological examination, law-enforcement sources stated.
The sources stated Rivera was final arrested in August, when he allegedly slugged a doorman in Midtown Manhattan — however was launched as a result of the costs will not be eligible for bail beneath the state’s controversial criminal-justice reforms.
On Monday, he allegedly assaulted each ladies as they lounged on the Chelsea park and was arrested at a close-by bus cease after a short battle with police.
“I believe it’s actually tousled that he’s nonetheless on the market, and I don’t know what’s happening within the metropolis,” stated the injured mother, whose nostril was bruised within the assault.
“I assumed it could get higher with [Mayor Eric] Adams, nevertheless it doesn’t appear to be getting higher,’’ she stated. “I simply don’t assume the [police] patrolling is sufficient, the outreach for mentally in poor health folks is sufficient.
“This was proper round 12:45 on a weekday after I was attacked,” she added. “There was no police presence. … I didn’t assume on this space I might have this drawback. They need to be round.
“In the event that they had been extra current, perhaps I wouldn’t have been in a chokehold for that lengthy or perhaps he wouldn’t have tried it.”
A witness filmed her being attacked, capturing her screams for assist, and gave her the footage, she stated.
She stated the suspect adopted her after the assault and known as her a “white bitch.’’
“I do know individuals who reside in Harlem who're like ‘I don’t wish to go to your space. Your space is simply too sketchy for me,’ “ the girl lamented.
She stated she commonly takes her 2-year-old daughter to the park — however is just not so certain about doing that anymore.
“It is a park I'm going to twice every week with my child to get her recent air,” she stated. “Now I don’t know if I wish to return there.”
Cops stated the assaults on each ladies had been unprovoked.
“It was so wild that it was surreal,” the second sufferer advised The Submit on Tuesday. “I used to be confused. After which I simply couldn’t consider that that was taking place. It felt surreal the entire time.
“He choked me and tried to hurt me along with his keys and punched me,” the 37-year-old sufferer stated, additionally asking to stay nameless. “I’m nonetheless a little bit shell-shocked.
“When he had his keys to my throat, he stated, ‘I don’t give a f–ok,’ “ she recalled. “ ‘Name the cops. F–ok gentrification. F–ok that white bitch.’ “
The lady stated she was “studying on the garden” on the park when she first noticed the mother attacked close by.
“When he was yelling on the lady, and he or she was operating away, I assumed perhaps he was simply having an episode and he or she simply occurred to stroll in his path,” she stated. “I didn’t notice that she was additionally assaulted proper earlier than.
“After which he simply got here up behind me and choked me and held keys to my throat,” she stated. “And now I do know they’re keys, however I couldn’t see them. And he did the identical factor, I suppose, he did to her, which was punch me.”
She stated a great Samaritan who was strolling his canines within the park got here to her assist after seeing the assault unfold.
She described the canine walker as a “actually variety man.
“I noticed this man coming with the canines,” she recalled. “He simply checked out me, and he was very variety and stated, ‘I bought you. Don’t fear, I bought you.’
“He begins yelling on the man, and the man is backing away, however he’s nonetheless screaming. He’s actually unwell. He was very offended.”
She stated the canine walker advised her to name 911.
“I hadn’t even considered it,” she stated.
When cops confirmed up minutes later, she “simply noticed them descend on [the attacker], and he was resisting arrest,” she stated.
Rivera was charged with assault, strangulation, legal obstruction of respiratory, menacing and weapons possession.
He was awaiting arraignment late Tuesday.
Further reporting by Tina Moore and Amanda Woods
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