The property manager of a New York City apartment building faces charges of second-degree assault after he was caught on camera allegedly kicking a tenant down two flights of stairs and viciously beating the victim with a hand tool.
Nick Valentin, a 45-year-old Manhattan building superintendent, was taken into custody following the violent incident on Aug. 31 at East 112th Street near Third Avenue in East Harlem.
He pleaded not guilty during his appearance in Manhattan court on Sunday and was released on his own recognizance.
He was not required to post bail and is due back in court on Oct. 17.
The violent episode was captured on a Ring doorbell camera just after 8 a.m. Saturday, when Valentin allegedly kicked the tenant down a flight of stairs, according to police.
As the victim got up and tried to escape, the attacker kicked the man again, sending him tumbling down another flight of stairs.
That’s when Valentin allegedly wielded a wrench and savagely beat the victim, police said.
Neighbors suggested the dispute was due to unpaid rent, but two days after the incident, Valentin claimed the 26-year-old victim attacked him first when he confronted the man over loud noises coming from inside his unit.
Despite the evidence, Valentin insists the younger man came at him with a screwdriver after the two exchanged words in the hallway.
Police withheld the name of the victim and have not verified Valentin’s account of the circumstances.
“I just saw something silver. . . I don’t know what it is, so I’m kicking him,” Valentin explained to the New York Post, emphasizing that he was defending himself.
“I’m scared. I’m a man, too; I’m a human being. I’m scared,” he said, adding that he had banned the resident from the building.
The video didn’t appear to capture the actions of the victim before he was twice sent crashing down the stairwell.
The steps appeared to be made of concrete with metal trim and railings.
A neighbor said he heard the commotion outside his door and called the police.
When medical help arrived, the victim was found with lacerations to his right hand, and he complained of pain and swelling in his left arm.
The battered man was taken to Cornell Medical Center, where he was reported to be in stable condition.
Authorities said Valentin had never been arrested before.
Residents expressed shock after watching the disturbing footage, but many did not want to be interviewed on camera. One man who did speak to local media suggested that the altercation began due to a dispute over unpaid rent.
“I think that is not the way that you’re going to get your rent at all, obviously. You’re not going to get your rent that way, so I don’t understand,” said resident Michael Velasquez, according to CBS News New York. “It’s unfortunate that it has to come to having to report to the news for things to finally click for people to get involved and to stop things like this from happening.”
Another tenant told the outlet that the video was painful to watch, adding that he had been raising concerns about health and safety issues in the building for several years.
Other tenants indicated the property serves as a rent-stabilized building where residents benefit from controlled rent increases, ensuring more affordable and stable pricing in New York City’s unpredictable housing market.
