A 59-year-old woman was raped in Kaiser Park on Tuesday morning, and now Brooklyn detectives are asking for the public’s help to track down her attacker, police said. The assault was reported around 8:20 a.m. in the vicinity of Bayview Avenue and Neptune Avenue, and the suspect has not yet been identified.
The NYPD Crime Stoppers unit has put out a "Wanted for Rape" alert that lays out the basics of the case and urges anyone with information to come forward. According to NYPD Crimestoppers on Facebook, the suspected attacker is listed only as an "unidentified individual," and the post includes phone numbers and a web portal for anonymous tips.
Where It Happened
Kaiser Park runs along Coney Island Creek between Neptune Avenue and Bayview Avenue and is home to ballfields and a fishing pier. According to city environmental review documents, the park’s footprint stretches north of Neptune Avenue from West 25th Street to Bayview Avenue.
How To Help
Anyone with information is urged to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), use the Spanish line at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), or submit a tip through the Crime Stoppers website. Tipsters can stay anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward of up to $3,500 if their information leads to an arrest and indictment, according to NYPD Crime Stoppers.
Support For Survivors
Survivors who need immediate support or medical attention can contact Safe Horizon’s Rape, Sexual Assault and Incest Hotline at 212-227-3000, or call HOPE at 1-800-621-HOPE (4673). Safe Horizon offers crisis counseling, advocacy and hospital accompaniment, according to Safe Horizon.
Local Context
The Kaiser Park alert lands amid a series of park safety concerns in Brooklyn. Earlier this month, investigators released images of a suspect after an attempted sexual assault in Prospect Park. As reported in coverage of an attempted sexual assault in Prospect Park, that case has helped sharpen attention on safety in city parks this spring.
Anyone with information about the Kaiser Park assault is asked to call 1-800-577-TIPS or submit a report at NYPD Crime Stoppers, and to call 911 if someone is in immediate danger. Police are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who was in the area around 8:20 a.m. on Tuesday and may have seen or heard something that could help the investigation.
