Why are New York State government employees being attacked on the street? Police are warning people near the State Capital to be on alert.

Last month a state worker was walking down Madison Avenue in Albany at around 7pm when they were approached by what appeared to be a homeless person asking for money. When the government employee declined to help, they were struck in the head.

The suspect fled on foot and evaded State Police who were called to the scene. Later, it was determined that the person who assaulted the officer was a 53-year-old man named Andre Lundstrom. The suspected attacker was charged with Harassment and Criminal Mischief before being sent to the Albany County Correctional Facility where he would be held without bail.

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It turns out that this was not an isolated incident. Just two weeks later, State Police received information about another eerily similar attack. In this incident, another state worker was walking from a parking garage towards Madison Avenue just 40 minutes earlier in the evening than when the previous attack took place. The government worker was also struck in the head by an attacker who fled the scene.

As of now, police are calling the two attacks "random and unrelated" but the similarities have some government workers fearful for their safety. In a Facebook message, State Police are urging anyone walking near the Capital to stay "alert and aware of their surroundings".

Troopers are still searching for a suspect in the second incident and are asking anyone who notices suspicious activity near the government center to report it to authorities. The State Police have stepped up patrols in the area and continue to investigate the attacks.

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