Woman Fights Off Would-Be Rapist In Central Park Attack, Police Say

CENTRAL PARK, NYC — A woman in Central Park was able to fend off a would-be rapist who violently attacked her while she was sunbathing on Monday afternoon, police said.

The 21-year-old was sitting by herself in the Great Hill section of the park near W. 104th St. and West Drive when her attacker—an as-yet-unidentified man—walked toward her just after 1:25 p.m., cops said.

The attacker exposed himself as he rushed toward the victim, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said early Monday evening.

Police reported that the woman screamed as the man approached and tried to escape, but before she could flee, he tackled her from behind and attempted to assault her.

Chell said the victim managed to violently fight off her attacker for a second time, eventually causing him to flee.

The attacker, described as a Black man in his 30s and about 6 feet tall, fled southbound down West Drive, and the NYPD said they have been actively searching for the suspect since Monday afternoon.

The victim, who was not physically injured in the brutal attack, was taken to a local hospital, where she was interviewed by NYPD Special Victims detectives. She is also expected to collaborate with a sketch artist to create an image of the suspect for public release.

While a photo of the suspect has not been released, police said he was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and shorts.

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

"Right now we are searching every part of the park for witnesses or any evidence we might find... We're cutting the park in pieces," Chell said.

As the investigation continues, Chell mentioned that parkgoers can expect to see drones flying overhead and an increased police presence. However, officers emphasized that they do not believe the incident is part of any larger criminal patterns.

The NYPD did not speculate on the explanation for the increase in crime compared to the same period last year.

"We're going to keep Central Park safe. And we're going to continue to be out here until we feel that this perpetrator is off the street," said NYPD Deputy Commissioner Tariq Shepherd.

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