NYPD Releases New Photos in Central Park Knifepoint Rape Investigation

The NYPD on Monday night released new photographs of the man suspected of raping a 39-year-old woman at knifepoint in Central Park on Saturday, October 25, 2026, around 8:30 p.m. near Fifth Avenue between 66th and 67th streets. According to police, the attacker brandished a knife and dragged the victim to a secluded area before assaulting her; she was taken to a hospital for treatment. No arrests have been made. The NYPD has increased patrols focusing on footpaths and wooded areas throughout the park. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said that "every New Yorker should be able to walk anywhere in our city at any time of day and they should be safe." The attack was the second on a woman in Central Park within a week; the previous Sunday, a 32-year-old woman was punched, attacked, and robbed by three men while riding her bike on West 93rd Street and West Drive. The latest NYPD crime statistics show overall crime in Central Park is up roughly 20% year-to-date compared with 2025, and the park has seen five rapes in 2026 versus three during the same period last year. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.