Investigators are hunting for a knife-wielding thug accused of sexually assaulting a teen girl after school in a New York park in what authorities described as a "parent's nightmare."
The assault unfolded at Kissena Park in Queens, New York, Thursday afternoon, according to the New York Police Department.
Two schoolmates – a boy and girl, both 13 – went to the park after school to play soccer. As they were walking back to campus, they encountered the suspect who threatened them with a machete and forced them back to a secluded area in the park where he bound the victims' wrists and sexually assaulted the female.
"This incident is a parent's nightmare, and all the community should be very upset about this," Chief Jeffrey Maddrey told reporters during a Friday news conference.
After the assault, the suspect robbed the victims of their cell phones and forced them to wait 20 minutes while he fled.
.@NYPDChiefofDept Chief Jeffrey B. Maddrey & NYPD Executives to provide an update on an ongoing investigation in Queens. https://t.co/nMrHjs3sAm
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) June 14, 2024
Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry called the attack a "satanic incident," and promised detectives would "scour the globe to bring some closure to this family. We will leave no stone unturned until we bring this monster into justice."
Investigators are processing forensic evidence swabbed from the shoelaces used to bind the victims' wrists.
They're also reviewing surveillance footage and looking at all registered sex offenders in the area. In an effort to give community members further peace of mind, police will monitor the area via the installation of additional small scale cameras and the deployment of drones.
At the moment, there is no pattern of assault, said police, however the investigation is still in the early stages.
"The entire police department is focused on getting justice for this young survivor," pledged Chief Joe Kenny.
Police are searching for a suspect described as a short, light-skinned, Hispanic male in his 20s, with short, curly hair and braces on his teeth. He has a tattooed bull or similar animal with red eyes and horns on the left of his chest. The victims said their attacker spoke with a heavy Spanish accent. He was wearing a black t-shirt, black sweatpants, red sneakers and carrying a green backpack at the time of the assault.
Anyone with information on the case is urged to call 800-577-TIPS (8477).
A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator.
