Crime & Safety
E-Bike Serial Sexual Assaulter Linked To Manhattan Bridge Attack: NYPD
Police connected an e-bike rider suspected in recent two sexual assaults to a third attack against a woman in May on the Manhattan Bridge.
NEW YORK CITY — An e-bike rider suspected in two recent sexual assaults is linked to a third, earlier attack against a woman on the Manhattan Bridge, police said.
Police released a sketch Wednesday showing a man they believe is behind a pattern of sexual assaults that began early May 15 when a 26-year-old woman rode her bike across the bridge.
An as-yet-unidentified man jumped off his own bicycle about 4:30 a.m. and grabbed her hair from behind, authorities said. He then flashed a knife, pulled the woman to the ground, exposed himself and sexually assaulted her before riding his bicycle away, police said.
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Medics took the woman to Woodhull hospital for a medical examination, police said.
The attack is eerily similar to two recent sexual assaults — this time involving a suspect on an electric bicycle — within an hour's span on July 16, authorities said.
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Those began on the Upper West Side about 4 a.m. when 23-year-old woman walked Central Park West and West 82nd Street, police said. A disturbing video released by the NYPD shows a man on a bike swerve behind the woman, run up to her and knock her to the ground.
The video cuts out before the attack.
He sexually assaulted the woman before he rode off on his e-bike, police said.
The next attack that morning unfolded about 5 a.m. when a 28-year-old woman walked near Avenue A and East 4th Street, authorities said.
Again, a man riding an electric bicycle hopped off his bike, grabbed her, pulled her to the ground and sexually assaulted her, police said.
The attacker told the woman that he had a knife, authorities said.
The woman had cuts over her body and was taken to Mount Sinai Beth Israel for medical examination, police said.
NYPD officials are asking the public for help identifying the suspect behind all three incidents.
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). They can also submit tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.
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