The former NYPD officer accused of killing a Brooklyn jogger was previously deemed psychologically unfit and expelled from the U.S. Marine Corps.
Sayed Mohassib, 27, is accused of fatally stabbing Katie Suarez, 28, on October 30 near Bay 17th Street and Shore Parkway in Bath Beach, New York.
Detectives initially investigated whether Mohassib and Suarez may have known each other through Brooklyn College, where both studied. However, the NYPD told the Daily Mail that there appeared to be no connection between them.
Suarez had been training for the New York City Marathon. After the attack, she was declared brain dead and kept on life support while doctors recovered her organs, according to the New York Post.
Her pancreas, liver, kidneys and heart were donated, allowing five people to receive lifesaving transplants this week.
Mohassib had briefly worked for the NYPD after leaving the Marines, where he had been discharged for psychological unfitness. Police identified him after surveillance video appeared to show him leaving the Shore Parkway Greenway shortly after the stabbing.
He later sought to return to the NYPD but was rejected. He went on to work as a teacher’s aide at PS 200 in Bensonhurst, where he was employed by the Department of Education.
The New York City Department of Education has confirmed that Mohassib was suspended and said it would pursue his termination as the criminal case moves forward.
Sayed Mohassib, 27, fatally stabbed Katie Suarez, 28, on October 30 near Bay 17th Street and Shore Parkway in Bath Beach, New York
Sayed Mohassib has since been arraigned on charges of second-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a weapon
According to the outlet, Mohassib told officers at the 62nd Precinct that he could not remember the attack. He said he woke up covered in blood with the alleged murder weapon still on him.
Hours later, officers led Mohassib from the Bensonhurst police station in handcuffs. He appeared expressionless as he was taken away at about 4 p.m. while awaiting his arraignment Saturday evening.
At the arraignment, prosecutors said blood belonging to Suarez had been found splattered across the walls of Mohassib’s Bensonhurst apartment, the New York Post reported.
“The defendant stated that he had tried to clean the blood,” Assistant District Attorney Jordan Rossman told the court.
Mohassib faces charges of second-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a weapon.
NEXT UP: Navy Removes Blue Angels Pilot for Failing to Meet Team Standards
He was ordered held in custody and is scheduled to return to court on November 10.
Suarez’s family, friends and neighbors have been left devastated by her death.
Her mother, Yasira Suarez, confirmed that her daughter died several days after the attack.
Katie Suarez, 28, was jogging on a popular waterfront promenade in Brooklyn when she was knifed in the neck
The waterfront promenade where the tragic incident took place is popular with walkers, bikers and fishermen and is a residential corner of southern Brooklyn
Sayed Mohassib, 27, was charged with second-degree murder
“Destroyed. We’re all destroyed,” she said. “You took an angel.”
Suarez’s father had gone out searching for her when he found his critically injured daughter bleeding in a nearby grassy area.
The bank teller was taken to NYU Langone Hospital in critical condition. The severity of her injuries became apparent when doctors later declared her brain dead.
Local resident Anna Dece said she struggled to process the shock, particularly because the violence had happened so close to home.
“I’m very sad. That’s terrible. I’m sad for everybody,” she said. “But this is close. It’s too much right now. It’s a mad world.”
The stabbing occurred along the Bath Beach waterfront, a residential area in southern Brooklyn where residents regularly use the shoreline paths for walking, cycling and exercise.
The section near Shore Parkway overlooks Gravesend Bay and forms part of the broader network of recreational routes along Brooklyn’s coastline.
Suarez had been preparing for the New York City Marathon on Sunday when she was attacked and killed.