A Brooklyn community has come together to mourn a 28-year-old runner who was found stabbed in the neck on a quiet bike path and to do whatever they can to help catch his killer.
Nearly 100 people held a vigil at Bath Beach on Wednesday night to remember Katie Suarez, who carried a sense of loss after she was attacked while running along the Shore Parkway on Friday night.
Authorities believe this was a random attack. Police said the unidentified attacker stabbed Suarez at least twice in the neck as she jogged along the beachfront. Investigators say she was planning to meet her parents along the Marine Park Greenway when she was attacked.
Suarez was discovered by her father after she failed to continue running. Her mother, Yasila Suarez, confirmed that her daughter died from her injuries days later.
The shock of violence left many tears.
“Always smiling, honey, just saw her last week, they have to do something, it’s ridiculous,” said Frank Petralia, who lives nearby.
“Katie did not deserve this,” said Bishop Erick Salgado, who organized the vigil.
The killings outraged elected officials and demanded changes. They want new lights, security cameras and more patrols in the park.
Despite the community’s desire to do whatever they can to help catch the attacker, detectives still don’t have a description. They have asked the public for help.
No details about potential suspects have been released yet. The NYPD is urging anyone who sees unusual activity near the running and biking trails or the nearby Beltway to help investigators.
The community is also calling on the NYPD to increase rewards associated with catching the killer. As of Wednesday, the reward for information leading to an arrest was $10,000; the community is calling for it to be increased to $50,000.
new york police department
new york police department Stabbing victim Katie Suarez remains in serious condition Sunday night, police said. Police shared her photo in hopes of getting leads to find her attacker.
The incident was eerily similar to another random attack in New York City a decade ago. In 2016, Karina Vetrano was running in Howard Beach; hours later, her father found her dead in Spring Creek Park. The medical examiner determined her cause of death was strangulation. Six months later, her attacker was arrested, tried and convicted.
“You need people, people who see something, people who hear something. The greater the reputation, the greater the chance of solving the problem,” said Phil Vetrano, Vetrano’s father, who offered help to Suarez’s family in any way he could. “If you ever need someone to talk to, you can contact me. I’m probably the only person who can honestly say I know what you’re going through.”
Investigators want to hear from anyone who saw something unusual less than 40 feet away from the Beltway on Friday night or in recent weeks. Police are also looking for dashcam footage from ride-sharing or app-based vehicles in the area on Friday night.
The attack took place in a remote area and the NYPD had less surveillance video available to it. Police were using license plate readers to identify surrounding drivers when Suarez was stabbed.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish: 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by visiting the Crime Stoppers website or @NYPDTips.