Yesterday (June 13), at 3 pm after school in Kissena Corridor Park in Flushing, New York, two 13-year-old students were forced into the woods by a criminal wielding a large machete-style knife. They were bound and the underage girl was sexually assaulted before their phones were stolen.
This is a heinous crime. Following the incident, the New York City Police Department and the 109th Precinct deployed a large number of officers to investigate, patrol, and set up defenses in the surrounding area. They have offered a $10,000 reward for any information that could lead to solving the case.
The NYPD held a press conference at the scene today (June 14) to report the incident. At around 3 pm on the 13th, a male and female classmate, both 13 years old, were walking in the woods of Kissena Corridor Park across from Public School 237 (the woods can be entered from a shaded path near the junction of Colden St. and Laburnam Ave.). Suddenly, an unidentified man approached them, demanded they follow him into the woods, and when they refused, he threatened them in English while brandishing a large machete-style knife.
Under threat, the two students were forced to follow him to a secluded area where the criminal tied their wrists together with shoelaces. The 13-year-old girl was then sexually assaulted.
After being detained for 20 minutes, the criminal stole their phones and fled on foot. The students returned to school and immediately reported to the security department before contacting the police. Authorities swiftly launched an investigation and found potential evidence, including the shoelaces used to bind the victims and a water bottle left behind, which are undergoing forensic examination.
The suspect is described as a light-skinned male, possibly of Hispanic descent, in his twenties. He is of short stature, with short curly hair, wearing a black t-shirt and black sweatpants, red sneakers, and carrying a green backpack. He has a tattoo on his left chest depicting a bull or similar animal with red eyes and horns. The suspect speaks with a heavy Spanish accent. The police have announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
At the scene, the wooded area where the incident occurred at Kissena Corridor Park is deep and secluded. The narrow path leading from the junction of Colden St. and Laburnam Ave. is overgrown with dense bushes taller than a person’s height, providing cover and secrecy to any activities inside.
The police have mobilized considerable resources for the investigation, including specialized victim units, detective task forces, crime scene units, and more. Over 60 officers were deployed on the day of the incident for investigation. The area around the crime scene is cordoned off with yellow police tape, heavily guarded with officers patrolling every few steps and drones hovering in the sky, while reward posters are displayed on nearby streets.
The authorities will collaborate with the Queens District Attorney’s Office to obtain a search warrant for the victims’ phones and will cross-reference the registered list of sex offenders post-incident to track down the suspect. They plan to install surveillance cameras in the park and deploy drones for aerial monitoring to enhance community safety. Additionally, they will install small and discreet cameras for crime pattern analysis in the park.
The police have reaffirmed the $10,000 reward and urged the public to provide any tips by calling the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-577-TIPS, submitting online through the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or via the @NYPDTips platform.