ALBANY, NY — Albany police say they have identified a man seen in disturbing viral videos showing assaults on strangers, and they located him Sunday afternoon as the wider investigation continues.
The man has not been charged with the attacks shown online. Police said he was arrested on outstanding warrants and then turned over to Colonie police.
Investigators said the identity of the suspect is being withheld for now to protect the integrity of the case and the investigative steps that remain underway.
Viral clips show strangers being attacked in Albany
Police said the online videos show someone approaching strangers and violently beating them. At least some of the victims can clearly be identified as being in Albany.
The footage also appears to show another person recording some of the attacks. Albany police said the clips have spread widely online, drawing attention to a case that has not yet produced formal assault charges.
Authorities have not said how many separate incidents appear in the videos. The department has treated the matter as an active investigation rather than a closed case.
No assault complaints have been filed so far
Albany police said no police reports have been made so far in connection with the assaults shown in the videos. Investigators also said the victims have not come forward.
That has made the case more difficult to develop, because officers are working from video evidence and online circulation rather than from a traditional complaint or witness report.
Police are still trying to determine exactly what happened in each incident and who was involved beyond the man they have already identified and located.
Arrest was on outstanding warrants, not assault charges
Police emphasized that the man was not yet arrested on assault charges tied to the viral clips. Instead, officers said he was taken into custody on outstanding warrants.
After being arrested, he was turned over to Colonie police. Albany police did not immediately release his name, saying the decision was meant to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation and related procedures.
The department has not said whether additional suspects are being sought, and it has not disclosed the nature of the warrants that led to the arrest.
Detectives are asking the public for help
Albany police are continuing to ask anyone with information about the assaults to contact the department’s Detective Division at (518) 462-8039.
People who want to remain anonymous can also submit tips through Capital Region Crime Stoppers at www.capitalregioncrimestoppers.com or by using the P3 Tips app.
Police have not said whether they believe every attack shown online happened in the same area or during the same time period. For now, the case remains open and active.
What officials have said about the case so far
So far, police have confirmed several key points: a suspect has been identified, he was located Sunday afternoon, and he was arrested on unrelated outstanding warrants.
They also confirmed that the videos show violent assaults and that at least some of the people targeted are in Albany. Beyond that, investigators have been careful not to release more details while the case develops.
The department has framed the investigation around both the assaults themselves and the online circulation of the videos, which helped bring the matter to wider attention.
