A 27-year-old public school teacher’s aide and former New York City police officer has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of 28-year-old jogger Katie Suarez along a Brooklyn waterfront path, authorities announced Saturday.
An Evening Run Along the Waterfront
Katie Suarez left her job as a teller at a TD Bank in the Caesar’s Bay Shopping Center at around 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 30, according to Marathon Handbook. She met her parents at a nearby Wendy’s, changed into running clothes, and set out for a run along the Shore Parkway Greenway, as reported by ABC7 New York. She was from El Salvador and graduated from Sunset Park High School in 2016, later earning an associate’s degree from Kingsborough Community College in 2018 and a bachelor’s degree in television and radio from Brooklyn College in 2020 before beginning work as a bank teller in 2021.
Roughly an hour later, Suarez spoke with her father by phone, telling him she was about a half-mile away from home, according to Runner’s World. When she failed to arrive, her parents went looking for her along the path. Her father, Nery Suarez, found her unconscious and suffering from multiple stab wounds to the neck under a tree near Bay 17th Street, as detailed by Runner’s World and ABC7 New York.
Suarez was rushed to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn and placed on life support, where she remained until her family took her off life support on November 2, according to Marathon Handbook. Her mother, Yasira Suarez, expressed her anguish following the attack, telling reporters, You took an angel,
and appealing publicly for justice.
Detectives Charge Suspect with Second-Degree Murder
The NYPD arrested 27-year-old Sayed Mohassib on Saturday, November 7, charging him with second-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence, and criminal possession of a weapon, according to CBS News. Detectives used evidence to place Mohassib at the scene. The suspect was escorted out of the 62nd Precinct stationhouse wearing a red Van Dutch jacket, black top, and jeans.
During questioning at the 62nd Precinct stationhouse, Mohassib told detectives that he woke up from a blackout covered in blood with a knife at his side, and that he threw the knife in the garbage, according to New York Daily News and Fox News. Police recovered a knife in a landfill, according to ABC7 New York. Investigators noted that the suspect and victim had both attended Brooklyn College at the same time, though authorities have not established a motive or a personal relationship between them.
Suspect Worked Briefly as Teacher Aide and Police Officer
At the time of his arrest, Mohassib was employed as a teacher’s aide at Public School 200 in Brooklyn, according to CBS News and ABC News. Law enforcement sources stated that Mohassib briefly worked for the NYPD in 2022—completing field training in the Bronx from October to November 2022 before resigning to join the Marines, where he was discharged on psychological grounds, according to CBS News and New York Daily News. Following his military discharge, he made unsuccessful attempts to rejoin the police force and was referred for a psychiatric evaluation.
The safety of our students is our very top priority. We have suspended this individual and will move to terminate employment pending the outcome of the conviction. We are supporting the NYPD in their investigation however is needed,
Department of Education, via CBS News
The revelation of Mohassib’s employment prompted a joint statement from State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember-elect Chris McCreight, who noted that Mohassib had no criminal record but pointed to his psychiatric discharge from the military, according to CBS News.
Joint statement from Council Member @kaymsanto, Assemblyman-elect @chrismccreight, and I on the arrest of the man who stabbed and killed Katie Suarez. pic.twitter.com/rywsD0z1IP
Troublingly though, at the time of the attack, he was a DOE employee, serving as a teacher’s aide in a public school,
State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember-elect Chris McCreight, via CBS News
The officials called for an investigation into his hiring and continued employment by the school system, according to CBS News. Community members and local leaders have since responded to the tragedy by holding memorial vigils and pressing municipal officials for enhanced safety measures along the greenway, including additional lighting, cameras, and increased police patrols.
Earlier coverage: Sayed Mohassib charged with murder in stabbing of Katie Suarez
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