A woman who was stabbed in the neck while jogging on a popular Brooklyn waterfront promenade has been declared brain dead, police sources said Saturday.
The 28-year-old runner, identified by police sources as Katie Suarez, was running on the waterfront near Bay 17th Street and Shore Parkway in Bath Beach shortly after 8 p.m. Friday when she was attacked, police said.
Suarez’s father found her on the path while he went looking for her, according to police sources.
Disturbing footage captured a bloody scene on the trail that runs along Gravesend Bay and offers sweeping views of Staten Island and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
On the other side of the parkway, frequented by walkers, cyclists and fishermen, is the busy Belt Parkway.
Traces of blood were seen on a railing that she likely grabbed, and blood also stained the concrete path. What appeared to be her pink cell phone was lying on the ground.
Suarez was found in the grass with a stab wound, according to sources.
The attack appears to be random, a police source told The Post.
She was rushed to Langone Hospital, where she was declared brain dead, according to sources.
There have been no arrests and police are searching for videos, sources said.
“The NYPD takes this very seriously and dispatched many of its specialized teams last night and throughout the day, including SCUBA, aviation, K9s and drones,” a police spokeswoman said.
A neighbor described Suarez as a “particularly good” person, always calm and kind.
“They’re good neighbors. I saw her constantly.”
Suarez had “a very good character,” he said, “and was heartbroken by this savage attack.
“Damn man, that’s sad. Very sad,” said the man, who added that she worked at a nearby bank.
“Very professional. I interact with her, I would say maybe two weeks ago, I saw her there… She’s a cashier there.”
“A good cashier and good character… Seems like a very family oriented woman.”
A woman who lives nearby said she was frightened by the attack.
“I need a gun,” said Anna Dece, who was walking her chihuahua and has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years.
“I’m very sad,” she said.
“It’s terrible. I’m sad for everyone but it’s close. It’s too much right now.”
While overall crime is down 0.5% in the local 62nd Precinct that covers the region, criminal assaults are up 17% as of October 25, according to the most recent NYPD data available.
A woman leaving the victim’s apartment said Suarez “wasn’t lost yet.”
A local resident who was watching the sunset said she was “shocked” when she heard the news.
“Honestly, I’m shocked,” said Lana S., a 42-year-old small business owner. “I’ve lived here for a little over 15 years now, and it’s my favorite place to come for a walk and relax.”
“It always seems very peaceful and quiet here,” she added, noting that people use the boardwalk for biking and running.
“I’ve never seen anything violent or dangerous here. I just don’t understand how someone is capable of doing something like that. My heart goes out to his family.”
Additional reporting by Marie Pohl and Khristina Nariznaya
Gn usa
