A man suspected of an unprovoked assault on actor Rick Moranis was arrested in New York on Saturday, according to reports. The 35-year-old Marquis Ventura was spotted by transit officers at the busy 72nd St. and Broadway subway entrance, a few blocks from where the 67-year old SCTV, Ghostbusters, and Honey, I Shrunk The Kids star was punched on October 1.
USA Today reports that authorities have identified Ventura as homeless, and it is unclear if he has authorized an attorney to speak on his behalf.
In the widely shared surveillance video of the October incident, a man is seen wearing a sweatshirt that reads “I [Heart] NY” before randomly punching Moranis, sending him to the pavement. The actor then went to the hospital for head, neck, and hip pain.
The New York Post reports that Ventura may be a repeat offender. He allegedly attacked a 61-year-old man on the West 4th St. platform, and then bit someone in an ensuing brawl. Ventura was eventually charged with two counts of assault.
The Post also reports that Ventura was charged after a violent incident on a Bronx subway seven months ago. A victim alleges that he “randomly started beating the crap out of me and my husband” and pulled a knife.
Reaction to Moranis’s assault was widespread, with even Captain America calling for justice at the time.
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