Police Release Sketch of Suspect in Sex Attack of Sunbather at Central Park’s Great Hill
A 22 year-old woman who was sunbathing in Central Park managed to fight off her attacker on June 24. Despite a manhunt that included police K-9 units and an NYPD helicopter, the suspect remains at large. At his weekly press briefing on June 25, Mayor Eric Adams said that the police would find the man and “bring him to justice.”
An unidentified man tried to sexually assault a 21-year-old woman who was sunbathing alone in Central Park on June 24, according to police. She managed to fight him off, but the suspect remains at large despite a massive manhunt on the day of the attack.
Police released a sketch of the suspect on June 27 and are appealing for the public’s help to catch him.
In a press briefing the day following the broad daylight attack, Mayor Eric Adams said that the NYPD would find the suspect who attacked and “bring him to justice.”
“First of all, horrific incident and we will catch him,” Adams vowed. “Individuals in general, but specifically women, should have a right to walk the streets... the right to enjoy our city without an animal like that carrying out a terrible act like that. Our hearts go out to the young lady that’s involved. Our office is canvassing in the area and we will find him and we will bring him to justice.”
The attack occurred in broad daylight at around 1:24 p.m. on June 24. The 21 year-old woman was sunbathing alone at the park’s Great Hill area–near 104th St. & West Dr., a road within the park–when the man reportedly ran up behind her, exposed himself and jumped on her. She managed to fight him off and suffered only minor injuries, cops said. Meanwhile, the man fled south in the park.
At a news conference that night, the attacker was described by NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell as a Black man who is about 6 feet tall and around 30 years old.
He that said the attacker “exposed himself” to the woman as she was sunbathing. “She screams and gets up to run,” said Chell. “He tackles her from behind. She is able to fight him off.”
At least one helicopter, as well as police dogs, were deployed during the search for the suspect. The victim also was taken around the area in a police cruiser with the hope of spying the suspect, but he could not be located.