NYPD Increases Central Park Patrols After Weekend Rape
Authorities are searching for a suspect described as a slender, bearded man in all black clothing.
The New York City Police Department has increased patrols in Central Park following a knifepoint rape that occurred Saturday night, the department announced Monday.
The heightened police presence comes as authorities seek a suspect described as a slender, bearded individual dressed in all black. The suspect allegedly sexually assaulted a 39-year-old woman in a wooded area on the east side of the park.
According to police, the incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. near East 67th Street and East Drive. The assailant reportedly dragged the victim into a secluded section of the park, committed the assault, and then fled. The victim was transported to a local hospital and is in stable condition.
Images released by the NYPD on Sunday depict the suspect wearing a black hooded jacket, black pants, and carrying a black backpack.
This incident marks the fifth rape reported within Central Park this year, with arrests made in three of the previous cases. In the same period last year, three rapes were reported in the park. Citywide, rape reports have seen a slight increase of approximately 2%, with 1,735 incidents reported through Sunday, compared to 1,696 during the same timeframe in the previous year. Police attribute this rise, in part, to changes in state law that broadened the legal definition of rape.
Anyone with information regarding the suspect's whereabouts is urged to contact the NYPD’s Sex Crimes Hotline at 1-212-267-7273 or 646-610-7272. Tips can also be submitted to the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or via the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or by direct message on X to @NYPDTips.