CENTRAL PARK, Manhattan (WABC) — The search continues on Monday for the suspect who sexually assaulted a woman in Central Park over the weekend.
Police say the attack happened near East 66th Street and Fifth Avenue around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Investigators say the suspect threatened the 39-year-old woman with a knife and dragged her into a wooded area before assaulting her.
A bystander called 911 and the suspect ran away westbound into the park.
The woman was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
Police said the victim appears to be homeless and reported that she was intoxicated at the time of the attack.
Details about the man being sought remain limited. Investigators believe he is in his 30s and was last seen wearing a black hoodie, black sweatpants and carrying a black backpack.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Monday that what happened to the victim is “horrific.”
“This is something that no one should have to endure. We know that every New Yorker should be able to walk anywhere in our city, at any time of day, and they should be safe. Anything less than that is not something that I will ever justify or accept. And so, when it comes to this specific case, the NYPD is conducting an investigation into it,” Mamdani said.
The mayor said his administration is also working with police to identify ways to help prevent attacks and sexual assaults on city streets.
Meanwhile, police continue to search for the suspect. Investigators are reviewing surveillance video from the area, though authorities said footage currently available is grainy and has made it difficult to identify him.
Police are also examining footage from other cameras across the city and outside the park as the investigation continues.
The assault comes just over a week after another violent incident in Central Park. Police said a 32-year-old woman was attacked and robbed by three men while riding a bicycle near West 93rd Street before 10 p.m. The woman fought them off, and the suspects fled. Police said they are still searching for those suspects.
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