A 13-year-old girl was allegedly raped in Van Cortlandt Park last week, police said, becoming the latest victim in what authorities describe as a troubling surge of sexual assaults that has left a Bronx neighborhood living in fear.
Background
The attack occurred Thursday when the teen got off an MTA bus near Broadway and West 261st Street around 10 p.m., according to the NYPD. Authorities allege the suspect dragged her into a wooded section of the park, sexually assaulted her, and fled before officers arrived. The victim was listed in stable condition at a local hospital following the attack.
The crime unfolded in North Riverdale, a neighborhood that has seen a dramatic rise in reported sex assaults this year. NYPD statistics show 22 rapes were reported within the 50th Precinct between January 1 and June 21 of this year—more than double the 10 reported during the same period last year, representing a 120% increase. The most recent attack on the teenage girl is not yet included in those figures.
The Investigation
Police have released surveillance video of a suspect wanted in connection with the rape and are actively seeking the public's help to identify him. Authorities have posted wanted posters throughout the North Bronx neighborhood as detectives work to track down the attacker.
"I have to walk with my wife to the store now," said one local resident, identified only as Eli, speaking to the New York Post on Sunday near the crime scene. "Pretty much anytime she leaves the house, I have to be with her. She's not comfortable at all outside."
Another neighbor, Jorge Bode, who lives across the street from where the attack occurred, described conditions in and around the park that have alarmed residents.
"It's a jungle," Bode said. "Nothing but drugs over there. It messed up this whole place. Much more people, and as you go inside the park, you'll see it's really isolated. They do what they want. Nobody stops them."
The NYPD is asking anyone with information on the suspect to contact the department's Sex Crimes Hotline at 212-267-7273 or 646-610-7272, or the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.
Key Takeaways
- A 13-year-old girl was allegedly raped in Van Cortlandt Park after being dragged from a bus stop near Broadway and West 261st Street around 10 p.m. Thursday
- NYPD statistics show rapes in the 50th Precinct have more than doubled this year, rising from 10 to 22 compared to the same period last year
- The teen victim was listed in stable condition at a local hospital following the assault
- Police have released surveillance video and posted wanted posters as they search for the suspect
- No arrests have been made in connection with the attack
What's Next
Detectives with the NYPD's Special Victims Division are actively investigating the rape, reviewing surveillance footage, and canvassing the area for additional evidence. Authorities have not identified a suspect or announced any arrests as of Sunday evening. Community leaders in North Riverdale are calling for increased police presence in and around Van Cortlandt Park as residents demand action to address the spike in violent crime.