Woman Choked, Sexually Assaulted In Central Park: Police

Update: 2nd Woman Assaulted In Manhattan; Suspect Arrested

CENTRAL PARK, NY — A woman jogging in Central Park was attacked and sexually assaulted Thursday morning by an unknown man, police said.

The assault happened around 7:21 a.m. in an area of the park near Wollman Rink. The woman, who is in her 20s, was approached by a man in his 30s who began to choke her until she lost consciousness, according to police.

The man sexually assaulted the woman before fleeing in an unknown direction, police said. He was described only as a dark-skinned male wearing all black clothing.

The woman was hospitalized in stable condition.

Large swaths of the park near Wollman Rink were cordoned off Thursday morning as police investigated the attack, 1010 WINS reported.

Reports of crime in Central Park are largely stable this year, according to NYPD statistics, with 51 total incidents in 2021 compared to 53 during the same period last year.