Sex offender arrested for attacking NYU student, found hiding in university-owned apartment.

A homeless parolee with a lengthy criminal background has been apprehended following an unprovoked assault on a 20-year-old New York University (NYU) student. The suspect, identified as James Rizzo, 45, was discovered in an unoccupied penthouse apartment in a university-affiliated building, reportedly in possession of items stolen from neighbors, according to a statement from prosecutors.

The incident began Monday morning when Rizzo allegedly approached Amelia Lewis, an NYU student, in Greenwich Village and slapped her on the buttocks without provocation as she walked to class. Following the attack, which Lewis documented in a viral TikTok post, authorities located Rizzo approximately six blocks from the site of the incident, hiding in a penthouse apartment at Washington Square Village.

The building, which is owned by NYU, typically houses faculty, graduate students, and some residents not affiliated with the university. While it is staffed with a doorman, the policy does not require identification to be scanned, potentially allowing for unauthorized access.

Upon entering the penthouse to arrest Rizzo, police discovered stolen belongings from various neighbors, including a yoga mat, pillows, backpacks, headphones, a suitcase, and multiple laptops. One of the laptops was still powered on, enabling law enforcement to trace it back to the penthouse. Rents in the building range from ,298 to ,527 per month.

Rizzo’s criminal history spans decades, beginning with a violent robbery in the late 1990s in which he stabbed a 74-year-old woman during a burglary in Brooklyn. He was convicted on charges of burglary after pleading guilty in relation to that incident. Most recently, he was paroled on September 5 after serving 13 months for a sex abuse conviction in which he groped a woman.

During a court hearing on Wednesday, Judge Jeffrey Gershuny agreed with prosecutors to hold Rizzo without bail due to the recent attack on Lewis as well as for the burglaries committed in the university building. Rizzo also faces charges related to another incident on Thanksgiving Day, wherein he allegedly assaulted a woman visiting from Texas by violently shoving her into a plate glass window.

The Thanksgiving incident involved Jana Brazell, who was in New York for the parade when Rizzo reportedly confronted her in an aggressive manner before delivering the unprovoked attack. Brazell sustained serious injuries requiring stitches.

Authorities are taking the recent string of assaults and burglaries seriously, as they emphasize community safety concerns, particularly for students and vulnerable individuals in urban environments. Rizzo’s arraignment will continue to highlight discussions around public safety and the management of repeat offenders within the justice system.

Charges against Rizzo include persistent sexual abuse, assault related to various attacks, and multiple counts of burglary. Legal representation for Rizzo did not respond to requests for comments regarding the ongoing legal proceedings.

This incident raises pressing questions about the challenges faced by communities in managing public safety and the judicial system’s response to repeat offenders.