Arrest made after actor Rick Moranis sucker punched on Upper West Side

Video shows the moment a man wearing a black ''I (heart) NY'' sweatshirt hit the 67-year-old ''Ghostbusters'' star

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Suspect arrested in random attack on actor Rick Moranis

Police have made an arrest in the violent sucker-punch attack on actor Rick Moranis.

UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- An arrest has been made in a random and violent attack on actor Rick Moranis on the Upper West Side.

Police arrested Marquis Ventura on Saturday in connection with the attack.

Police say it was Ventura's seventh assault charge of the year.

Video showed the moment a man wearing a black "I (heart) NY" sweatshirt and a backpack hit the 67-year-old "Ghostbusters" star and knocked him to the ground.

ALSO READ | Teen with autism robbed, second suspect sought

The assault happened late September on West 70th Street near Central Park West.

The attack happened just a few blocks from the apartment building where Moranis' character, Louis Tully, lived in the movie.

The attacker continued walking north after throwing the punch.

MORE NYC NEWS: Man wanted for stealing baseball caps, biting, attacking elderly men

The first attack happened on board an MTA bus in Queens.

Moranis hurt his head, back and hip in the attack but was able to take himself to the hospital, and later, to the police station to report the incident.

Moranis' representative Troy Bailey said in a written statement Friday: "Rick Moranis was assaulted on the Upper West Side yesterday. He is fine but grateful for everyone's thoughts and well wishes."

Moranis shot to fame in the 1980s as a star of the sketch comedy series "Second City Television," before landing roles in blockbuster movies like "Ghostbusters" and "Honey I Shrunk the Kids."

He put acting aside in the late 1990s to focus on raising his kids but has made occasional appearances since.

WATCH: Flight attendant delivers heartfelt message amid furloughs