Man accused of stabbing doorbell camera at home in Central Islip, Long Island
CENTRAL ISLIP, Long Island (WABC) -- A man on Long Island was caught on video using a knife to destroy a doorbell camera at a home in Central Islip, and now police are looking to see if he's behind more crimes in the community.
It looked a bit like a scene from a horror movie, except Alexandria Princivil was watching this in real time at her apartment.
"This man, with a machete... just going after the Ring doorbell," said Princivil, a Central Islip tenant.
It didn't take long for police to figure out who it was: 53-year-old Patrick Richiusa, Princivil's neighbor, who's been feuding with her for two and a half years now. Richiusa says she is too loud, and he hears it through his walls.
"My dog is terrified from the banging and the loud music, and I tried contacting the landlord. I tried everything I could," he said. "One night I just couldn't take it no more."
He admitted to grabbing a knife and going at the doorbell camera.
"Yes, basically I did," he said. "I screwed up. I admit it. I was wrong."
But Princivil says he's not genuine at all. She says it all started with a petty fight over an open dumpster, but that Richiusa's behavior has gotten worse and worse. He says he's a former FDNY firefighter with post-traumatic stress disorder from 9/11. Princivil says, he's just menacing.
"He's called me the 'c word,' the 'b word,' a 'piece of trash.' Yes, even the 'n word,'" she said.
She says she has never called him anything.
Richiusa says that's not really the case. In fact, he has his own video of Princivil, who is seen walking out of frame, and shouting expletives.
"To be called the 'n word,' yes... that's probably going to be my comeback," Princivil said.
But she says she won't feel safe until Richiusa is gone.
"He has to be removed. He has to," she said.
Richiusa said he's well aware that his actions, destroying the doorbell camera, crossed the line.
"Yeah, I snapped. I guess I got mad, but at least I didn't hurt anybody," he said.
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