New York leaders face scrutiny after attacks on women in public spaces
New York officials are under growing pressure to outline concrete steps to protect women after two violent attacks in prominent public spaces over the past two weeks.
Katie Suarez, 28, is on life support after being stabbed while out running in Brooklyn. Police said an unidentified assailant approached her Friday evening on the Shore Parkway Greenway. Suarez suffered multiple stab wounds and was taken to a hospital.
Suarez is a regular runner who has taken part in races organized by New York Road Runners. The organization said it was heartbroken by the attack and was thinking of Suarez, her family and the running community. She was not registered for this year’s New York City Marathon.
A spokesperson for Gov. Kathy Hochul said the governor has no tolerance for violence and believes offenders should face the full force of the law. The spokesperson pointed to increased state funding for law enforcement and changes to bail and evidence-disclosure laws, adding that public safety remains Hochul’s priority.
New York City Council Member Kayla Santosuosso, who represents southern Brooklyn, said she was horrified by the stabbing and that her thoughts were with Suarez and her family. She said Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch had assured her the NYPD was making every effort to find the attacker.
Santosuosso also noted that the promenade where the attack occurred has been poorly lit for years. She said planned work on a nearby pedestrian bridge and the promenade should include adequate lighting. The recent violence against women, she added, is deeply disturbing.
“We should be able to walk and run in our neighborhoods without worrying about our safety,” Santosuosso said. She described the issue as personal to her as both a woman and a mother, and said she would work to make southern Brooklyn a place where women can live without fear.
Paul Mauro, a retired NYPD inspector, argued that better lighting should be paired with visible surveillance cameras. The goal, he said, should be to make people feel they are being watched.
Mauro said the focus on lighting echoed, in some ways, the “broken windows” approach associated with former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. That strategy emphasized addressing lower-level offenses in an effort to prevent more serious crime.
In a separate incident, police said a 39-year-old woman was raped at knifepoint in Central Park on Oct. 24, near Fifth Avenue. It was the fifth reported sexual assault in the park this year. No arrests have been made in either recent case.
Critics say city leaders have not offered enough detail about everyday public-safety measures, particularly in comparison with the state’s forceful response to a high-profile alleged gang rape at Cornell University. Last month, Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor and directed State Police to take over sexual-assault complaints at the university.
Hochul had vowed that the Cornell case would not be “swept under the rug.” Critics argue that similar urgency is missing when it comes to the safety of people using New York City streets and parks.
James responded to Suarez’s attack in a post on X, calling it unacceptable and saying no New Yorker should have to fear such violence. She wished Suarez a swift recovery and urged anyone with information to contact police.
A spokesperson for Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the attacks on women were horrific and that everyone should be able to travel around the city without fear. The administration, the spokesperson said, would work with survivors and community organizations to improve prevention, address gaps in services and confront gender-based violence.
Mauro criticized city leaders for not discussing whether to increase police patrols. He said he believes effective policing helps keep people safe, and urged young women living in or moving to New York to be aware of the risks.
