Home / Crime and Justice / Texas Woman Attacked in NYC During Parade Visit
Texas Woman Attacked in NYC During Parade Visit
4 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Texas woman visiting for Thanksgiving parade was unprovokedly attacked.
- Assailant struck her, causing injury requiring six stitches.
- The suspect is also accused of assaulting an NYU student.
A Texas resident's visit to New York City for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade turned terrifying after an unprovoked assault in Midtown Manhattan. The woman, visiting family, was walking on Fifth Avenue on Thanksgiving evening when a man suddenly attacked her. He struck her with his elbow, causing her to fall face-first into a window, resulting in a laceration that required six stitches.
Authorities have identified the alleged assailant as James Rizzo, 45. Rizzo was arrested following the attack on the Texas tourist and an earlier incident involving an NYU student. The student reported being grabbed by the hair and thrown to the ground while walking to class in Greenwich Village earlier that week.
Rizzo faces multiple charges, including assault, persistent sexual abuse, and forcible touching, related to both incidents. The Texas woman, despite her harrowing experience, expressed that her positive view of New York City remains intact, though she stressed the need for the perpetrator to be held accountable.
