Staten Island man charged with scissor attack now accused of witness tampering

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A 30-year-old West Brighton man who allegedly used scissors to injure a victim now is accused by authorities of witness tampering.

In the latest incident, Ariel Ruiz of North Burgher Avenue approached a man in the vicinity of Richmond and Yukon avenues in New Springville on the evening of March 26, according to the criminal complaint.

The man is related to the assault victim, authorities said.

“Tell your [redacted] to drop the charges or someone will die,“ the criminal complaint alleges that Ruiz told the man. ”You tell him or someone will die."

A one-year order of protection was issued earlier in March forbidding Ruiz from having any contact with the victim directly or through a third party, the complaint states.

Ruiz, who was arrested on May 13, has been charged with intimidating a victim or witness, tampering with a witness and criminal contempt.

Ruiz was indicted by a grand jury in March 2024 on charges of assault in the second and third degrees and criminal possession of a weapon in the third and fourth degrees in the alleged scissors incident.

The assault occurred on Feb. 16, 2024, at about 7:55 p.m. on Port Richmond Avenue between Harrison and Castleton avenues in Port Richmond, according to the indictment and police.

The victim, a then 21-year-old man, was an acquaintance, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Ruiz is being held at Rikers Island in lieu of bail set at $30,000 bond/$15,000 cash.

The defendant has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is due back in state Supreme Court in St. George on June 30, according to public records.

Attorney Timothy Richard, who is defending Ruiz, declined to comment at this time.