A Soundview renter says his next-door neighbor turned their shared hallway into a recurring house of horrors, repeatedly exposing himself and later showing up at the door with a knife. The tenant says he is now too afraid to bring his young son over, even though he caught some of the incidents on video and watched police briefly haul the neighbor away, only to see him back in the building that same night.
Tenant recorded the incident and called police
Saabir Naasir told reporters he saw his neighbor crouched naked in an open doorway, grabbed his phone, and hit record before calling 911. Images Naasir shared with the station show officers taking the man into custody, according to News 12 The Bronx.
Naasir says the relief did not last. He told the outlet the same neighbor got back into the building that night and "touched himself in the doorway" again. Naasir also says the man later came to his apartment door with a knife, leaving scratch marks. Police advised him to contact them the next time he sees the neighbor, Naasir told News 12 The Bronx.
Tenant says landlord ignored complaints
Naasir told the station he repeatedly texted his landlord about what was happening, but got no response. He says building management also closed out his complaints with no follow-up, leaving him to deal with the situation on his own inside his own hallway.
According to Naasir, the silence only broke when he told his landlord a TV news crew had shown up. At that point, Naasir says, the landlord finally responded and promised to come by the next morning and "do everything he could to help," as he recounted to News 12 The Bronx.
What New York law says
Public exposure in a place where others can see it can fall under New York’s public lewdness and exposure laws in Penal Law Article 245. Depending on the details, prosecutors can consider charges such as "exposure of a person" or public lewdness. Whether an arrest leads to formal criminal charges is up to investigators and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. The statutory language and definitions are laid out on Justia.
Reporting options and safety steps
Residents who feel threatened are urged to call 911 in an emergency and save any video or photos for police, since that kind of evidence can be key for prosecutors. For non-emergency or anonymous tips, the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline is available at 1-800-577-TIPS, and tips can also be submitted online through NYPD Crime Stoppers.
Naasir says the ordeal has left him shaken and unwilling to bring his child to the apartment until the situation is resolved.
