Queens sexual assault in Kissena Park leads to NYPD offering $10,000 reward – NBC New York

Several high-ranking NYPD officials on Friday asked the public for help in identifying the tattooed stranger who is said to have dragged two 13-year-old schoolmates into a wooded park at knifepoint, tied them up and sexually abused the girl.

They have also put up flyers asking for help and offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

According to investigators, the boy and girl were in a field in Kissena Park in Flushing around 3 p.m., just after school let out, when a man with curly hair and braces approached them and told them to follow him into the woods. When they refused, police say he pulled out a “large machete knife” and drove them to a secluded area, where he bound their wrists with a shoelace. He then sexually assaulted the 13-year-old girl.

The children told police that the man warned them to stay where they were for 20 minutes, then ran off with their phones. When the time was up, they returned to the school and told the school administration what had happened. They immediately called 911.

“As a father and long-time employee of this department, I know this is every parent’s nightmare. All communities should be very dismayed by this and ready to help the police solve this problem,” said NYPD Chief of Division Jeffrey Maddrey. “We will spare no expense. We will utilize every investigative resource. And I ask the communities again to help us bring closure to this case for these young children and this family.”

The children were taken to hospital in stable condition.

Investigators say they do not yet have any footage of their suspect and are currently searching the area via video to get an image of him. He is described as being about 5’5″ tall, in his 20s, with a thick accent. Police said he had a tattoo of a boar or bull on his chest with red eyes.

They found a shoelace at the scene and are examining it to see if it was used to tie up the children. A water bottle left behind by the attacker was also examined. Crime scene investigators are still searching the area, NYPD officials said Friday afternoon, and police are working with the Queens District Attorney’s Office on search warrants. They say they are looking for any registered sex offenders known to live in the area.

An NYPD officer called the suspect an “animal” – and again asked the public for help in getting him off the streets.

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.