In the News: Sexual Assault in Hudson River Park

Courtesy DNAinfo

••• “A man was arrested Saturday after raping and assaulting a woman in the Hudson River Greenway, police said. A 21-year-old woman was sitting on a bench in the park at Harrison Place [sic] and West Streets around 5:15 a.m. Saturday when a man sat next to her an attempted to engage her in conversation, police said. When she rebuffed his advances he punched her in the face, attempted to strangle her and  then dragged her into nearby bushes where he sexually assaulted her before fleeing, police said. […] NYPD officers arrested Jonathan Stewart, a 21-year-old homeless man.” —DNAinfo. The New York Post has a more vivid account (and says Stewart is 25), if you care to read it.

••• Slightly awkward timing, but the New York Times Real Estate section has an article about what life is like in Lower Manhattan along the Hudson. No news.

••• The Associated Press goes deep into the financials of Carl Keyes, minister at Glad Tidings Tabernacle: “According to financial records, internal correspondence and interviews with former employees conducted by The Associated Press, Keyes blurred the lines between his charities, his ministry and his personal finances while promoting himself as an international humanitarian. […] Financial records show that Keyes also spent money donated for 9/11 relief on expenses that had nothing to do with the tragedy—a series of monthly payments of $734.99 on the personal loan he owed on the Poconos house; $5,000 for a church organ; and nearly $33,000 for an architect working on church renovations that would include a new living space for his family.” Glad Tidings once planned to be headquartered on Franklin and is currently (temporarily) based on Murray, with services on Park Place.

••• Anyone know why there were cops wielding machine guns at Greenwich and Harrison on Friday afternoon? Just because?

••• Thanks to @hiprobbie for an especially good shot of Woody Allen when he was shooting near the Tribeca Grand last week.

 

10 Comments

  1. Best quote I read in this morning’s papers about the 2 recent rapes sums it up. “Perhaps Bloomberg should be more concerned with policing the parks than with worrying whether we’re drinking too much soda.”

  2. This is a tragic event, but now we’re blaming it on Bloomberg? Seems a bit exploitative to turn this into and anti-Mayor thing!

  3. i agree william f

  4. with paul … Am I the only one to notice a huge increase in the number of homeless people in the neighborhood?

  5. It really angers me when I hear about tragedies like this. I’ve been a martial arts teacher for half my life and continue to train and instruct people in all walks of life all over the world in personal security, child safety, defensive tactics etc.
    Unfortunately no matter how we make laws more effective and warrant harsher jail terms these acts of sub-human behavior will continue even in the so-called safest parts of our city.
    He was a predator, preying on a victim, that’s what they do. As I tell my students they have a Master’s degree in assessing a potential and soft target. One has to learn become a Hard Target!
    I’ve seen these things happen too often, we must all become more vigilant and stay alert and become aware of our surroundings.
    I wish a speedy recovery.

  6. I definitely saw the fancy van of police with machine guns and wondered the same thing.

  7. @Katie,more crazies in general

  8. There are way more homless especially sleeping on the loading docks along franklin and north moore right near the police precinct!

  9. As a runner I have always felt “better” running off hours with the homeless around. A friend of mine was saved of sexual assault by a homeless man one evening coming home from work.
    Sexual predators come in all shapes, sizes and socioeconomic profiles.
    This assault was heartbreaking and sadly, all too common.
    Homelessness is a separate tragic issue and I believe one that deserves our attention and care as well.

  10. @Lisa: Very well said.