Boys, 12 and 13, Arrested in Street Attack on Former New York Gov. David Paterson and His Stepson – KVNU

Two boys, ages 12 and 13, were arrested and charged last week in a street attack on former New York Gov. David Paterson and his 20-year-old stepson that occurred on Manhattan's Upper East Side, officials said.

The two children, whose names were not released, were arrested around 8 p.m. Saturday after turning themselves in with their parents at a police station, the New York police said.

A third child originally implicated in the attack also turned himself in but was not charged after officers determined he was not involved, officials said.

The 12-year-old suspect was arrested for second-degree gang assault, while the 13-year-old was charged with third-degree gang assault, according to the NYPD.

“Governor Paterson and his family are pleased that the suspects have turned themselves in,” Paterson spokesman Sean Darcy told ABC New York station WABC. “We hope that the young people involved learn something from this unfortunate encounter.”

According to the NYPD, the attack occurred around 8:35 p.m. Friday on 2nd Avenue near 96th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

The confrontation began as a “verbal altercation” between the suspects and the 70-year-old former governor and his stepson, the NYPD said. Police initially said up to five suspects were involved in the attack.

The suspects had “a previous interaction” with the stepson, Paterson's spokesman told WABC, noting that the attack occurred near the victims' home.

The suspects punched the victims in the face and body, police said.

Paterson and his stepson managed to fight off the attackers, the spokesman said, and the suspects fled on foot, according to police.

The investigation into the attack is ongoing and further arrests may be made, police said.

Paterson and his stepson were both taken to the hospital in stable condition, police said, and have since been released, the former governor's spokesman said.

Paterson, a Democrat, served as governor of New York from 2008 to 2010. He was New York's first African-American governor and the country's first legally blind governor.

ABC News' Matt Foster and Emily Shapiro contributed to this report.