A man who allegedly kicked a dog and spat on several people may be the same individual who was arrested for torching garbage cans last week.
Michal Patterson of Tigard, Oregon was arrested on Friday, October 17 for setting garbage cans on fire outside 40 West 77th Street and at 82nd and Columbus Avenue.
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The previous day, Patterson–or someone the NYPD thinks looks just like him–reportedly went on a different kind of rampage.“At 6:40 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, at 50 W. 67th St., the man kicked my dog with zero provocation,” Kevin Gifford-Tinker wrote to ILTUWS, adding that he appeared to match the description police provided ahead of his arson arrest the following day (a “white man wearing a hooded long coat, blue jeans, and a blue backpack”).
Gifford-Tinker also shared an account of the incident on Nextdoor, where he mentioned that “He was mumbling nonsense” and “seemed mentally unwell.” “Further down the block we saw him spit on a couple and verified with them when they walked by us.” Gifford-Tinker said they tried to follow the perpetrator from a distance but lost him, suspecting he fled into Central Park near Tavern on the Green.
Gifford-Tinker told us he called 911 and filed a police report–and that when he visited the 20th Precinct, he spoke with the officer who arrested Patterson. When he showed the officer photos of the man who kicked his dog, the officer confirmed, “That’s the guy. That’s absolutely the guy.” Gifford-Tinker added that the officer told him Patterson was now in a psych ward in Brooklyn (though the NYPD was unable to confirm this with us directly for compliance reasons).
“I’m happy he’s off the street,” said Gifford-Tinker of Patterson’s arrest. “We’ve always felt this is a safe neighborhood to walk our dog. Hopefully he stays off the street and gets the mental health help he needs.” Gifford-Tinker added, “He is obviously struggling with something—what he did all night long, you know, kicking our dog, spitting. He spat on some other people, the two fires. Who knows what else he did. So I just hope he’s getting the help.”
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ILTUWS asked about Gifford-Tinker’s dog, Agent Starling, named after Jodie Foster’s character in Silence of the Lambs. We’re told he took her to the vet and the ER for scans. “They said there was no fluid buildup and she didn’t appear to have any broken bones,” said Gifford-Tinker. “She’s a tough girl and doesn’t really show when she’s in pain. But she seems to be okay right now. They prescribed her pain medication and an anti-inflammatory, and we’re just taking it easy with her.”
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