Man in custody in rape of girl, 13, in Queens park: NYPD
FLUSHING, Queens (PIX11) – A man was taken into custody Tuesday in the rape of a 13-year-old girl in a Queens park last week, according to the NYPD.
The incident happened last Thursday inside Kissena Park in Flushing. A man allegedly threatened a boy and a girl, both age 13, with a knife and told them to follow him into the woods, according to authorities.
The two teens had their wrists tied up in shoelaces by the man, police said. The man then allegedly raped the 13-year-old girl, stole the victims' phones and told them to wait for 20 minutes while he fled the scene, according to authorities.
The victims, who were classmates, returned to their school to report the incident.
The man taken into custody has yet to be charged, according to authorities. He was spotted in the streets by civilians, who held him until police officers arrived, NYPD Assistant Chief of the Detectives Bureau Jason Savino told PIX11 News.
Police have not released the suspect's name.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.