Norwood News

 

 

 

Serial Groper Still on the Run

Police in the 47th Precinct are still on the hunt for a serial groper wanted in nine separate attacks on females between the ages of 12 and 21 in Wakefield, Edenwald, Williamsbridge and Eastchester. His crimes stretch back to the beginning of the year.

The NYPD has since distributed a flier with a police composite sketch of the suspect, described as a 20-year-old black male, 5′ 10” tall, thin build, and was last seen wearing a black hooded jacket, blue jeans and black sneakers. Investigators say the suspect also has a scar under his right eye.

The first incident was reported on Feb. 13 at 7:50 a.m., when a 14-year-old female was attacked on her way to the subway along Eastchester Road, according to police. Two days later, a second attack was reported by another 14-year-old girl who was assaulted as she walked past the intersection of Burke Avenue and Eastchester Road at 9:30 a.m.

 

The offender later struck again, this time on Friday, March 28, assaulting a 13-year-old as she walked along Magenta Street during the morning hours. A month later, police reported a fourth incident linked to the suspect–a report of a 13-year-old attacked from behind while walking along Baychester Avenue at 8 a.m. Another month went by until his next attack on Thursday, May 29, when he jogged up to an 18-year-old victim on Burke Avenue and forcibly touched her.

The suspect struck again the following day when he approached and attacked a 12-year-old victim in the area of East 233rd Street. On Monday, June 9, a 16-year-old reported she was attacked at 6:55 a.m., along Boston Road.

In the last two attacks, reported on Wednesday, June 11, at 8:15 a.m., a 21-year-old woman reported a forcible touching attack as she walked along Fish Avenue. Fifteen minutes later, a 12-year-old reported a similar incident as she walked along Schieffelin Avenue.

None of the victims was physically injured.

The attacks have prompted a local citizens group called the New York Hero Initiative to patrol the affected neighborhoods in search for the suspect and passing out flyers to residents. One group member, “Spectre,” said the group was encouraged by the community’s reaction to their presence, and added, “We’re going to re-visit a few areas where we had some promising leads on this case.”

One source at the local community board told the Norwood News that the local community was informed of the attacks in mid-May. One police official questioned could not explain the delay in alerting the public to the pattern of sexual attacks. The source says detectives and police are in the process of going back to all nine locations while searching for surveillance footage of the suspect.

Meantime, 50 additional cops began hitting the streets at the Four-Seven, hoping the extra manpower can combat the spike in violent crime happening within the borough.— David Greene

Police Collar Assault Suspects

A duo suspected of kicking a man so hard he later died, has been apprehended by officers from the 52nd Precinct. Angel Monegro, 17, and Noel Martinez, 24, were arrested July 1 and charged with the fatal beating of Miguel Dircio, a 41-year-old man who dozed off on the steps of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Church on June 19.

Police say the suspects approached Dircio at the church on West Fordham Road and University Avenue, unexpectedly kicking the victim in the head. He was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he remained in critical condition before passing away 10 days later.

Monegro and Martinez were later found, living in walking distance from the church. They were charged with manslaughter.–David Cruz

Overnight Shootings in Five-Two

The 52nd Precinct is investigating a pair of separate shootings that happened during the overnight hours of July 6. The first incident happened at 198th Street and Jerome Avenue, a residential neighborhood near Lehman College, where a man was shot in the torso once before the suspects fled. He was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital and remained in critical condition.

Police say they’re now looking for two suspects–one described as a male Hispanic, wearing a white T-shirt. The second suspect is described as a male black wearing a red T-shirt.

As the morning wore on, police reported a man shot at the corner of Evelyn Place and Davidson Avenue, a residential area that’s home to six-story buildings. Police are unsure why the victim was shot since he did not know his assailant.

The latest shootings cap yet another bloody weekend in the 52nd Precinct, though the number of shootings has remained relatively unchanged since last year when police reported nine shootings, the same number as last year’s around the same time. For now, police are continuing their investigation of the shootings.--David Cruz

Editor’s Note: Anyone with any information about any of these crimes is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS. The public can also submit tips by logging on to the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES), then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.