A 28-year-old woman was found stabbed in the neck along a popular Brooklyn waterfront promenade Friday evening and was later declared brain dead, according to police. Katie Suarez had been jogging near Bay 17th Street and Shore Parkway in Bath Beach shortly after 8 p.m. when the attack occurred. Police are investigating the incident as an apparent random assault.

Suarez’s father discovered her critically injured on a grassy area near the promenade after going out to look for her. She was rushed to NYU Langone Hospital in critical condition. By Saturday, she was declared brain dead due to the severity of her injuries.

Neighbors have remembered Suarez as a gentle, hardworking, and kind individual. She worked as a cashier at a local bank branch, where colleagues described her as professional and dedicated. One neighbor told The NYPost that Suarez was "very professional, very kind" and "a very soft spoken girl, very nice." He added that she was "kind of exceptional" in her interactions and that she and her partner were considerate people who treated others with respect.

Another resident described the attack as "terrible" and too close to home, stating, "It's a mad world."

The attack occurred along the waterfront in Bath Beach, a residential area where locals frequently use the shoreline paths for exercise and recreation. The promenade overlooks Gravesend Bay and is part of a network of recreational routes along Brooklyn's coast.

It was reported that Suarez had been training for the upcoming New York City Marathon. The event organizers expressed sadness about the attack and sent their condolences to her family and the running community.

Suarez had reportedly been training for Sunday’s New York City Marathon when her life was catastrophically altered

Disturbing images from the scene showed a significant police presence, with investigators examining the area. Blood was visible smeared along a railing near where Suarez was stabbed.

At present, the circumstances leading up to the stabbing remain unclear, and authorities have not yet determined if Suarez knew her attacker or the motive behind the targeted assault. For residents, the violence has disrupted the sense of security in a place they considered a routine setting for evening runs.

The waterfront promenade where the tragic incident took place is popular with walkers, bikers and fishermen and is a residential corner of southern Brooklyn

Neighbors have described the woman as someone of 'good character' and a 'family orientated woman'

Disturbing images captured a scene of gore, with blood smeared on a railing and red stains on the concrete path in Bath Beach

She was rushed to Langone Hospital where she was left in a coma, before subsequently being declared brain dead