Gov. Hochul Silent as NYC Women Face Attacks, Dem Candidate Deflects

After two apparently unprovoked attacks on women in prominent New York City public spaces within the past two weeks, the city and state’s top leaders are under increasing pressure to offer a clear plan to improve public safety. The scrutiny includes Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is seeking reelection.

Hochul, who faces a challenge from Republican Bruce Blakeman, has not publicly addressed the recent attacks.

One of the victims remains on life support after police said an unidentified suspect approached her while she was jogging and stabbed her in the throat.

The NYPD told News Media that Katie Suarez, 28, was taken to a hospital after Friday evening’s attack on the Shore Parkway Greenway in Brooklyn. Police said she “sustained multiple stab wounds.”

Suarez is a dedicated runner who has competed in races organized by New York Road Runners.

“We were saddened to hear about this horrific attack—our hearts are with her family and the running community,” a spokesperson for the organization said.

Suarez was not registered for the New York City marathon held this past weekend. The Shore Parkway Greenway is represented by New York City Council Member Kayla Santosuosso, who serves southern Brooklyn.

In a statement to News Media, Santosuosso said, “I am horrified by the stabbing of Katie Suarez, and first and foremost my thoughts are with Katie and her loving family. I have been personally assured by Police Commissioner Tisch that the NYPD is pulling out all the stops in its efforts to catch the perpetrator. The promenade where this horrific crime took place has been poorly lit for years, since well before I took office. We will be working to ensure that upcoming renovations to the pedestrian bridge near the scene and the promenade itself include sufficient lighting.”

Santosuosso described the recent violence against women as “deeply disturbing.”

“We deserve to be able to walk and jog in our neighborhoods without worrying for our safety,” Santosuosso said. “This is a serious and personal issue for me as a woman and as a mother, and I will be doing everything in my power to keep southern Brooklyn a place where women can live without fear.”

Retired NYPD inspector and Fox News contributor Paul Mauro said better lighting, along with expanded surveillance, should be among the first measures taken to deter further violence.

“Lighting is great, but I would not only ask for that. I would ask for cameras—and very ostentatious cameras.”

Mauro added, “You want people to feel like they are observed.”

Mauro said Santosuosso’s proposal to improve lighting “tacitly” echoes the “broken windows” policing strategy associated with the Giuliani administration. The approach focused on addressing minor crimes and public-order violations to help prevent more serious offenses. It became widely associated with former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who served from 1994 to 2001.

In a separate incident, police said a 39-year-old woman was raped at knifepoint in Central Park on Oct. 24, across from a stretch of multimillion-dollar apartments along Fifth Avenue.

The attack marked the fifth reported sexual assault in Central Park this year. Police have made no arrests in either of the two recent cases.

The perceived lack of action on street-level safety issues affecting everyday New Yorkers has prompted sharp criticism, particularly when compared with the state’s forceful response to higher-profile incidents involving colleges.

Last month, Hochul took unprecedented executive action regarding an alleged gang-rape at Cornell University, appointing Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor and directing State Police to take over sexual assault complaints on the Ivy League campus.

While Hochul publicly vowed not to let the Cornell case get “swept under the rug,” critics argue that the same fierce executive urgency is nowhere to be found for New York City residents navigating daily life and public parks in the five boroughs.

In response to the attack on Suarez, James said in a post on X on Monday: “This is outrageous and unacceptable. No New Yorker should have to fear such violence. I’m praying for a swift recovery for Katie, and keeping her family in my thoughts. I urge anyone with information to contact @NYPDTips.”

A spokesperson for Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office said: “The recent attacks on women across our city are horrific. Every New Yorker should be able to walk anywhere in our city at any time of day or night without fear of violence. The Mamdani administration is committed to ensuring that survivors are heard and supported — and that those responsible are held accountable. We will continue working with survivors, service providers and community partners to strengthen prevention, close gaps in services and confront gender-based violence.”

Neither the Mayor or City Council mentioned increasing patrols in the city – something Mauro sees as major red flag.

“Nobody will be willing to admit that good policing keeps people safe because they need the police as something to beat up on,” he said.

While city leaders have kept quiet on the possibility of increasing patrols following the recent attacks, Mauro warned that any young woman who either lives in the city currently or is planning a move there should educate herrself on the real dangers that are happening in the city.

“Young women, you better understand what you’re getting into because you are joining a city whose leadership does not prioritize your safety. They take it for granted, and they are willing to countenance instances like this in furtherance of some wrongheaded notional agenda that is going to lead us all into some socialist egalitarian Shangri-La that is never going to arrive.”

News Media has reached out to Hochul’s office for comment.