School Aide Arrested After Brooklyn Jogger Murder

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Sayed Mohassib, a 27-year-old school teacher’s aide and former NYPD officer, was arrested for the murder of Katie Suarez, a 28-year-old bank teller, after allegedly stabbing her on a Brooklyn waterfront path. According to reports, Mohassib was back at his elementary school job within days of the October 30 incident, which occurred just blocks from the location of the attack.

Strange Behavior and Red Flags

Staff and coworkers noticed unusual behavior from Mohassib before the incident. The New York Post reported that coworkers described him as babbling and acting strangely, though these observations did not lead to the case being solved. Children at the school also reported seeing him muttering to himself and appearing anxious.

The Attack and Aftermath

Katie Suarez was running along the Belt Parkway near Bay 17th Street around 8 p.m. when she was stabbed at least twice in the neck. She had just finished her shift at TD Bank and was on her way to meet her family. Her father found her bleeding on the path and rushed her to the hospital, where she was declared brain dead and later died after being taken off life support. Five people received her organs.

Investigation and Confession

Surveillance footage helped identify Mohassib as the suspect. Authorities reported that cameras captured him near the path and later fleeing the area. He was also seen shortly after returning home, hauling out trash bags. Investigators were searching a sanitation facility for evidence.

Mohassib allegedly told detectives he blacked out and came to on a bench, covered in blood. He admitted to prowling the path with a knife and walking to the Verrazzano Bridge and back, believing that people were going to come and kill his family. However, he insisted he never stabbed anyone. He also confessed to dumping the blade and his bloody clothes, though a bloodstain was found in his apartment that he claimed he tried to scrub away.

Previous Mental Health Issues

Mohassib had a history of mental health concerns. He lasted only a few weeks as an NYPD rookie in 2022 before leaving for the military, which reportedly dismissed him over mental health issues. When he tried to get his badge back, he was found disheveled and erratic and was taken to Bellevue. He later joined the Department of Education.

In September 2024, his mother and sister told police he had threatened to “chop them up.” He was taken to Coney Island Hospital. Police believe the attack was random, as there is no known link between Mohassib and Suarez, who both attended Brooklyn College.

Source: Daily Wire