An ex-police officer accused of murdering a Brooklyn jogger continued working with children at a New York City public school just days after the slaying. Sources also revealed that the suspect, Sayed Mohassib, allegedly killed a family pet in the past.
Mohassib, 27, was employed as a teacher's aide at PS 200 in Brooklyn. He reportedly returned to the school the day after the October 30 murder of 28-year-old Katie Suarez. Parents expressed shock and concern over the suspect's presence in the school following the alleged crime.
"You don't know who is teaching our kids. It's just shocking," said Jasmine Cotto, a parent of two students at PS 200. "He came here the next day like nothing happened."
According to law enforcement sources, Mohassib had a history of mental instability that led to his dismissal from the Marines and his rejection from a second stint with the NYPD. He was reportedly let go from the NYPD after only six weeks in 2022. In January 2023, the NYPD declined to rehire him, citing his disheveled appearance.
His mother informed police that he had killed a family pet, either a cat or a dog, sources said. In 2024, police responded to a call at his Bensonhurst home where he allegedly threatened to harm his family.
Mohassib is accused of stabbing Suarez twice in the neck while she was running on a Brooklyn promenade. He allegedly told police he carried a knife because he believed someone would harm his family if he did not.
Surveillance footage and facial-recognition technology led to his arrest. He had been working for the city's Department of Education since before 2024 and was hired as a para-professional that year.
Following a call from Mayor Zohran Mamdani for a thorough investigation into his employment with city schools, Department of Education officials announced Mohassib had been fired. Parents at PS 200 expressed distress upon learning the details of the case, with one father noting his child recognized the suspect from the news and identified him as someone they saw daily at school.