Police seek two suspects for December rape in NYC park
NEW YORK, NY -- Weeks after a 33-year-old woman was allegedly raped in a New York City park by two male assailants, the NYPD has released images and descriptions of the suspects and is asking the public's assistance tracking them down.
At around 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 17, 2015, the victim allegedly met the two suspects near Highbridge park in Upper Manhattan. She went into the park with them and while inside the park (which stretches into the Bronx), the suspects proceeded to rape and physically assault her, according to the NYPD.
The victim sustained facial trauma and a laceration to the back of her head during the attack, according to police.
EMS transported the victim to a hospital for treatment and police reported her condition as stable. One suspect is described as a light-skinned Hispanic male, wearing a red cap with a black brim, a black waist length jacket, a white hooded sweater with a black stripe on the hood, light colored jeans, and multicolored white and purple sneakers. The second was wearing a three-quarter-length black coat with a fur lined hoodie, black jeans, a black cap, and multicolored red and black sneakers, police said.
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call Crime stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
After the arrests this week of five people allegedly involved in the gang rape of a 18-year-old in a Brooklyn playground last Thursday, local residents and leaders criticized the NYPD for not getting news about the incident out to the public sooner.
It is unclear in this case what caused the approximate month-long gap between the attack and the release of suspects' images and descriptions.