Fifth Central Park Rape Reported in 2026

Five reported rapes have occurred within the NYPD Central Park Precinct so far this year, according to police data. The most recent incident took place on Saturday evening, marking a sharp increase from the three cases recorded in the same period last year.

A 39-year-old woman was sexually assaulted by a stranger near the intersection of East 67th Street and East Drive at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. The attacker threatened her with a knife before the assault, police said. The victim was transported to a hospital, where officers described her condition as stable.

The suspect remains at large. The NYPD is actively investigating the case and has asked the public to provide tips through the Sex Crimes Hotline or Crime Stoppers. Contact numbers include 1-212-267-7273 and 1-800-577-TIPS. Residents can also submit information via the Crime Stoppers website or X account.

Retired NYPD Inspector Paul Mauro noted that the location of the attack is near high-value residential properties. "This most recent rape was in an area that's right near $10 million apartments and an area where you would hope that people in this city would feel safe," Mauro said.

Mauro pointed to the timing of the incident, which occurred less than 10 days before the upcoming election. He observed that state Democratic leaders have remained silent on this specific attack. This contrasts with their visible response earlier in the month to a separate rape case involving seven Cornell fraternity members. In that instance, Governor Kathy Hochul quickly appointed Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor.

"Let something hit the news like the Cornell case and all of a sudden they’re all over the media and they’re on a soapbox and they’re holding press conferences," Mauro said. "We are less than 10 days away from an election, and that has to have a lot to do with it."

Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the incident during a news conference on Monday morning. He stated that his administration is working to support the survivor and address gaps in city services. "We are going to continue to work with survivors at large, as well as providers and city partners, to strengthen prevention and address gaps in support and to also hold perpetrators of sexual assault accountable and to ensure that this is a city that puts survivors' needs first," he said.

Julie Menin, speaker for the New York City Council, posted on X that she is outraged by the violence. She expressed hope for the survivor’s full recovery and stated that every New Yorker deserves to feel safe in the city.