A 27-year-old former New York City police officer has been charged with second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of a Brooklyn jogger last month, authorities announced Saturday. Sayed Mohassib, who worked as an elementary school aide at the time of his arrest, is accused of killing Katie Suarez, 28, during an attack on October 30 along the Shore Parkway Greenway in Brooklyn.
Mohassib was taken into custody after investigators linked him to the crime through surveillance footage and physical evidence. He has also been charged with tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the New York Police Department.
Key Developments
Arrest and Charges
On Saturday, NYPD officers arrested Mohassib at his Bensonhurst home and charged him in connection with Suarez’s death. The charges follow a weeks-long investigation into the October 30 incident, during which Suarez was stabbed multiple times in the neck while jogging. She died from her injuries three days later.
Mohassib was escorted from the 62nd Precinct in handcuffs on Saturday afternoon. He did not respond to questions from reporters as he was led away. Police sources cited by multiple outlets reported that Mohassib told investigators he had no memory of the attack but woke up covered in blood holding a knife. He allegedly disposed of the weapon in garbage that was later traced to a New Jersey landfill.
Employment and Background
Mohassib was employed as a teacher’s aide at PS 200 in Brooklyn, a school located near the crime scene, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. His employment status has drawn scrutiny from local officials, who have raised concerns about his prior service in law enforcement and the military.
Records indicate Mohassib briefly served with the NYPD in 2022 before being removed for psychological reasons. He later attempted to join the U.S. Marine Corps but was discharged on psychiatric grounds. He was also unsuccessful in a subsequent effort to rejoin the NYPD, according to sources cited by ABC News.
Investigative Details
Detectives used surveillance footage from the area to identify Mohassib as a suspect. Security cameras captured him near the crime scene around the time of the attack and later showed him disposing of bags of garbage near his home the night of the killing. A search was conducted at a sanitation facility in New Jersey for evidence that may have been discarded.
Suarez, a TD Bank teller training for an upcoming race, was following her usual route after work on October 30. She spoke to her father by phone around 8 p.m. that evening before her parents went looking for her. Her father found her injured along the path and rushed her to the hospital.
Official Responses
The New York City Department of Education issued a statement confirming Mohassib’s employment and announcing his suspension pending the outcome of the case. "The safety of our students is our very top priority," the statement read. "We have suspended this individual and will move to terminate employment pending the outcome of the conviction."
Local elected officials, including City Councilmember Kayla Santosuosso, State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, and Assemblymember-elect Chris McCreight, issued a joint statement expressing concern over Mohassib’s background. "He was evidently a mentally disturbed man with no criminal record who had been an ex-NYPD officer and ex-Marine who was discharged from the military on psychiatric grounds," the statement said. "Troublingly though, at the time of the attack, he was a DOE employee, serving as a teacher’s aide in a public school."
Unresolved Questions
Investigators have not disclosed a motive for the attack. No attorney information for Mohassib was available as of Saturday’s arrest. The NYPD has stated that the circumstances leading to Suarez’s killing are still under investigation.
Suarez’s family has not publicly commented on the case. Her death has prompted community reflection on public safety and the vetting processes for individuals with law enforcement and military backgrounds working in sensitive roles.