Civilians arrest suspected child rapist |

Before justice comes justice on the street.

The man accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in Kissena Corridor Park while she was tied to a boy of the same age with a shoelace was caught by civilians rather than police on Monday. A group of people spotted him, detained him and used violence against him when he tried to escape, police and media reports say.

The prosecution was led by 23-year-old Angela Sauretti, who, according to the Daily Beast, saw a photo of the wanted man on social media and spotted him in front of the 108th Grocery in Corona.

She asked a friend who agreed that he was the right one, and then she took action.

“He tried to run away, so I put him in a headlock,” Sauretti told the outlet. While he fought back, she let him feel it. “He got something his mother should have done to him. I’ll put it that way.”

Others joined in the citizen’s arrest and detained him near the grocery store on 108th Street across from Westside Avenue – which has a sign above the door that reads “Corona’s Finest” – as if he were New York’s Finest.

“He began to resist as the community attempted to detain him,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said in a press conference after his arrest. “He sustained some minor injuries while the community was detaining him.”

He was treated at a nearby hospital.

At the press conference, Police Commissioner Edward Caban thanked not only his investigators but also the residents of the city for apprehending the suspect.

“There is no greater force multiplier than the eyes and ears of the engaged, fully involved public,” Caban said. “That’s exactly what we mean when we talk about public safety as a shared responsibility.”

The man told one of his captors that he wanted to fly back to Ecuador – he is an Ecuadorian citizen and came to the U.S. illegally in 2021, according to police – but he would not board a plane. Instead, he is being held without bail and faces a variety of charges.

The man, identified by police and prosecutors as 25-year-old Christian Inga, was brought to court on Wednesday and charged with:

• First degree rape;

• Rape in the second degree;

• sexual abuse;

• first degree sexual abuse;

• two counts of second-degree kidnapping;

• two counts of first-degree robbery;

• two counts of endangering the welfare of a child; and

• Obstruction of state administration.

“This attack on two children in broad daylight in a city park strikes at the core of our society,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement about the charges. “According to the charges, the defendant confronted the boy and girl, bound the children together, gagged them, and then raped the girl before fleeing the park. We thank the brave victims who came forward and the NYPD for their quick action in arresting the defendant, who will now face trial in our courts.”

Before his arraignment, police said Inga had faced slightly different charges, including threats, false imprisonment and illegal possession of weapons.

His arrest came after a manhunt lasting several days, during which the police first released a sketch of the rapist and then a short video and two stills of him riding a bicycle.

The crime occurred on June 13 at approximately 3:30 p.m. near an area marked as part of the Kissena Corridor Park Trail, just off Colden Street near Kalmia Avenue.

The man approached the two 13-year-olds and asked them to come with him, police said. When they refused, he pulled out a long knife or machete and drove them into a forest. There he tied their hands and abused the girl. He also stole both of their cell phones.

After he left, the children ran to a nearby school, where someone called 911, according to media reports.

According to some press reports, the defendant’s full name is Christian Geovanni Inga-Landi. The address given by the police is just a few steps from the delicatessen where he was arrested.

According to police, Inga entered the United States without authorization in 2021 at Eagle Pass, Texas. He was reportedly arrested once in Texas, but never in New York before the rape. However, he had several encounters with police here that fell below the level of a felony. He received summonses for allegedly driving past the fare, trespassing, and possession of an open bottle of alcohol. There was also a report of domestic violence, but that did not result in an arrest.

City Councilwoman Sandra Ung (D-Flushing), who represents the district where the rape occurred, issued a statement following Inga’s arrest.

“I want to thank the NYPD and all of the investigators who have been dedicated to solving this tragic and horrific case from the moment the case was reported. I hope this arrest brings some peace of mind to our community as we continue to mourn with the victims, their families, and their school.

“I would also like to commend the brave victims who, under incredibly traumatic circumstances, were able to provide police with a detailed description of their attacker, which ultimately helped identify this suspect.”

She went on to say that Flushing residents have known for “far too long” that the section of Kissena Corridor Park where the rape occurred could be unsafe.

“I am committed to working with the Mayor, the New York Police Department, the Parks Department and other community stakeholders to improve public safety and take the necessary steps to ensure our park becomes a safe place for all members of our community.”

Shortly after the crime occurred, Ung met with the commander of the 109th Precinct and discussed introducing increased police patrols and better lighting in the park.