Police Sketch Shows Would-Be Rapist In Central Park Attack: NYPD

CENTRAL PARK, NY — Police put a face to the man who recently attacked a woman sunbathing in Central Park during a disturbing broad-daylight incident last week.

Police have released a sketch showing a man with a short beard and wearing a hat, whose blank stare is accentuated by heavy eye bags. The victim had previously described her attacker as a Black man in his 30s, standing approximately 6 feet tall.

However, police have not yet identified the would-be rapist, who allegedly charged at his 21-year-old victim as she sunbathed alone around 1:30 p.m. last Monday in the northwest part of Central Park near the Great Hill by West Drive and West 104th Street.

During the attack, the assailant exposed himself as he rushed toward the victim, according to NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell, who provided details at a news conference.

“She screams and gets up to run. He tackles her from behind, and she’s able to fight him off,” Chell said.

The victim, who was unhurt physically in the brutal attack, was taken to a local hospital. There, she cooperated with NYPD Special Victims Detectives to provide detailed information that assisted a sketch artist in creating an image of the suspect.

Alongside the newly released sketch, police described the attacker as having a medium build and curly hair, last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and shorts.

Police have been reviewing nearby surveillance cameras in an effort to locate the attacker, and additional police resources have been deployed to the park, according to Chell.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).