Brooklyn man charged with second-degree murder in killing of jogger Katie Suarez

A Brooklyn man has been charged with second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of 28-year-old Katie Suarez, who was attacked while running along the Shore Parkway Greenway on Oct. 30. Police said Suarez was stabbed twice in the neck; her father discovered her bleeding in the grass after she failed to appear for a scheduled meeting.

Detectives identified the suspect, Sayed Mohassib, after obtaining video from the Caesar's Bay Shopping Center where Suarez worked at a bank. Additional evidence, including a knife recovered from a Staten Island landfill, linked Mohassib to the crime scene. Mohassib told investigators he did not remember the killing but recalled being covered in blood.

Mohassib, who had been employed as a teacher's aide by the New York City Department of Education at P.S. 200 in Bensonhurst, remained on the job after the incident. The department announced that he had been suspended and would face termination pending the outcome of the case.

State Senator Stephen Chan expressed concern about the incident, noting the potential risk to students and staff. Police also noted that Mohassib briefly served with the NYPD in 2022, later joined the Marines, and had sought to return to the police force before being referred for a psychological evaluation. In 2024, his mother and sister called 911 to report that he had threatened to "chop them up."

Neighbors near Mohassib's residence offered mixed remarks about his character. At a vigil for Suarez, mourners said they were relieved an arrest had been made. Police indicated the stabbing may have been a random attack; the only known link between Suarez and Mohassib is that both attended Brooklyn College. The investigation continues.