David Schwimmer Helps Cops Solve Stabbing Case

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David Schwimmer, P.I.? The 'Friends' star was instrumental in helping the New York Police Department solve a case.

David Schwimmer, P.I.? The Friends star was instrumental in helping the New York Police Department solve a case.

The 47-year-old actor offered investigators security camera footage that showed a violent fight between three people, thus helping solve a criminal assault and robbery case.


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The incident in question took place early Monday morning, around 5:30 a.m., in an apartment building adjacent to the actor's luxury townhouse. The fight allegedly involved a transvestite prostitute, a 26-year-old john and a robber. The prostitute and the john were reportedly having sex in the john's apartment when a third man broke into the apartment and tried to steal a laptop.

It is believed that when the john made an attempt to stop the robber from taking his laptop, the prostitute attacked him and the robber allegedly pulled a knife. The fight began in the first-floor apartment before spilling out into the hallway and eventually onto the street.

The prostitute fled the scene, the victim was taken to a hospital and the man believed to have been the robber and the stabber was taken into custody. Robert Rainey, 21, was arrested and charged with robbery and criminal possession of a weapon and assault.

Before Schwimmer provided police with the video from his security camera, the only information investigators had to go on was a few eyewitness statements as well as conflicting accounts from the victim and the alleged perpetrator.