A former New York Police Department (NYPD) officer has been arrested and charged with the murder of a 28-year-old woman who was attacked while jogging along a waterfront promenade in Brooklyn.
Sayed Mohassib, 27, was taken into custody in connection with the fatal stabbing of Katie Suarez, who was preparing to compete in the New York City Marathon when she was attacked.
Woman Was Attacked During Evening Jog
Suarez was jogging near Bay 17th Street and Shore Parkway in Bath Beach, Brooklyn, at approximately 8 p.m. on October 30 when she was stabbed in the neck.
The 28-year-old had been training for the New York City Marathon, which was scheduled for the following Sunday.
Her father reportedly went out searching for her and found her critically injured and bleeding on a grassy area near the scene.
She was immediately taken to NYU Langone Hospital, where doctors treated her for her injuries.
However, her condition deteriorated, and she was later declared brain dead.
Police Identify and Arrest Suspect
Following investigations into the attack, police arrested Mohassib and charged him with second-degree murder.
Investigators reportedly identified him through video footage that allegedly showed him leaving the Brooklyn park around the time of the stabbing.
According to the New York Post, Mohassib told officers that he could not remember the attack but claimed he woke up covered in blood with the suspected murder weapon on him.
Police believe he disposed of the weapon in a garbage bin after the incident.
Suspect Previously Worked With NYPD and Marines
Mohassib reportedly has a history of employment with law enforcement and the military.
He previously served as an NYPD officer before joining the United States Marine Corps.
After leaving the Marines, he reportedly attempted to return to the police force but was unsuccessful.
He subsequently secured employment with the New York City Department of Education as a teacher‘s aide at PS 200 in Bensonhurst.
The suspect and Suarez both attended Brooklyn College.
However, investigators have not established whether they knew each other or had any previous relationship.
Victim Remembered as Kind and Dedicated
Suarez worked as a bank teller at a local branch, where she was described by people who knew her as a professional, kind and dedicated employee.
One of her neighbours recalled her as a soft-spoken woman who treated people around her with consideration and respect.
The neighbour also described Suarez and her partner as considerate members of the community who regularly walked around the neighbourhood.
He said her character had made a lasting impression on him, adding that she appeared to be a family-oriented woman.
Another resident, Anna Dece, expressed shock and sadness over the killing, describing the incident as particularly distressing because it happened within her neighbourhood.
Police Investigate Scene of Fatal Attack
The stabbing occurred along the waterfront promenade in Bath Beach, a residential neighbourhood in southern Brooklyn.
The area, which overlooks Gravesend Bay, is frequently used by residents for evening walks, cycling, fishing and other outdoor activities.
Photographs taken after the incident showed a significant police presence as investigators examined the scene.
Blood was also visible on a nearby railing and sections of the concrete pathway where Suarez was attacked.
The investigation led to Mohassib’s arrest, with the former NYPD officer now facing a second-degree murder charge over Suarez’s death.
