Central Park assault: 55-year-old woman hospitalized after head slammed against a tree

A 55-year-old woman was thrown several times against a tree by a young man who approached her at the start of the day in Central Park. NYPD is looking for the attacker

A walk at the start of the day in Central Park (NYC) ended in a nightmare for a 55-year-old woman thrown several times against a tree.

The crime happened when the unidentified victim walked along the reservoir inside the park just before 6 a.m. Thursday, police said.

According to the complaint, a young man tried to engage her in conversation, but because she chose to ignore him, he attacked her: first dragging her off the path and then repeatedly slamming her head into a tree. He then got on a CitiBike and pedaled out of the park, police said. He was last seen eastbound on 86th St. Transverse.

Medics took the woman to a local hospital, where she was treated and released. Police released a sketch of the suspect early this morning, asking for the public’s help identifying him.

The attacker was described as 5 feet 4 inches, 140 pounds, with dark, close-cropped hair. He has a blemish on the left side of his face and was last seen wearing a dark blue jacket, the Daily News detailed.

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Anyone with information should call 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) and in Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), also via crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or by text message to 274637 (CRIMES), followed by TIP577. All communications are strictly confidential.

In November, a man was found dead hanging by his neck behind the iconic “Naumberg Bandshell” amphitheater in Central Park.

In mid-October, an elderly man was found dead in a pond, days after the partially decomposed body of a young man was discovered floating in a lake near 79th Street and West Drive with no signs of criminality.

And in July, the death of a young Latino homeless man has ruled a homicide nearly 10 months after his body was found with a noose around his neck in Central Park, giving the initial impression that he had committed suicide.

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