Police arrested the man accused of beating and strangling an 11-year-old girl in a dog park, in addition to attacking his classmate, who tried to intervene.
The NYPD identified the alleged assailant as Nathaniel DiRenzo, 29, of Manhattan.
The victim and some of his classmates were in Stuyvesant Square during recess when the man in black sunglasses and a gray long-sleeved shirt approached them and began screaming, police said. It’s unclear what he was saying to the children, but then he sprayed the girl with water and tried to attack her.
When the girl tried to defend herself, the suspect grabbed her hair, punched her in the face and tried to strangle her, police said. A 15-year-old student tried to help the victim, but was also beaten by the man.
The confrontation began after a group of children appeared in the park around noon during school recess and began dumping dirt and party snapper over a fence at the dog park, authorities said.
Angry dog owners confronted children when an adult supervisor was unable to control the situation.
The incident occurred in Stuyvesant Square Park, along Second Ave. between E. 15th St. and E. 17th St. in the Gramercy Park neighborhood.
After rescuers arrived at the scene, the girl was taken to Mt. Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in stable condition, according to authorities. The teenage victim was treated at the park for minor injuries.
– .
