Brooklyn Jogger, 28, Stabbed Multiple Times in the Neck While Training for NYC Marathon — Her Father Found Her Minutes After Their Final Phone Call

She Was Just Half a Mile Away From Meeting Her Parents. But When She Failed to Show Up, Her Family Began a Desperate Search That Ended in a Horrifying Discovery Along a Brooklyn Waterfront Trail.

A routine evening run turned into a devastating tragedy for a 28-year-old woman in Brooklyn, New York, after she was brutally stabbed multiple times in the neck while training for the New York City Marathon. Katie Suarez had reportedly been looking forward to meeting her parents after her run on Friday, October 30. Just minutes before the attack, she spoke with her father over the phone and told him she was only about half a mile away. Neither she nor her family could have imagined that the seemingly ordinary conversation would become one of the last moments they shared before a horrifying discovery.

According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), the attack occurred shortly after 8 p.m. along the Shore Parkway Greenway in the Bath Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn. Suarez was jogging along the waterfront path when she sustained multiple stab wounds to her neck. Emergency medical personnel rushed to the scene and transported her to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, where she was initially listed in critical condition. Police later identified the victim as Katie Suarez, 28, and released her photograph as investigators appealed to the public for assistance. The attack took place near Shore Parkway and Bay 17th Street, along a popular route used by runners, cyclists and residents enjoying the waterfront.

The moments leading up to the attack have made the case even more heartbreaking. According to sources familiar with the family, Suarez had finished work earlier that evening and was planning to meet her parents. She reportedly worked as a bank teller and had changed into her running clothes before heading out for a jog. Around 8 p.m., her father called to ask where she was. Suarez told him she was approximately half a mile away and expected to arrive shortly. When she failed to appear at their agreed meeting point, her parents became increasingly worried. They tried calling her again, but she did not answer. Fearing something was wrong, they began searching the area. Her father eventually found her lying seriously injured along the running path and urgently sought help.

Even more disturbing details emerged as investigators attempted to reconstruct what happened. Reports citing law enforcement sources indicated that Suarez had suffered two stab wounds to opposite sides of her neck. Despite her injuries, she reportedly managed to move approximately 100 feet before collapsing. Her father and emergency responders were confronted with an unimaginable situation as medical assistance was summoned. According to later reporting by the New York Post, sources familiar with the case said Suarez had been declared brain dead and remained on life support at the hospital. However, the initial NYPD statement and PEOPLE’s report described her condition as critical, while police had not publicly announced an official determination of death. The family has been facing an extremely difficult period as the investigation continues.

One of the most troubling aspects of the case is that investigators have not identified a suspect or established a motive. Sources cited by the New York Post suggested that the attack may have been random, noting that Suarez’s phone and jewelry were reportedly still with her. There was no immediate indication that robbery had been the motive. Authorities have not confirmed whether she knew her attacker or whether she was deliberately targeted. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the assault and trying to determine whether anyone was nearby when the attack occurred. The absence of an identified suspect has added to the concern among residents who regularly use the waterfront trail.

The NYPD is now making an urgent appeal for witnesses. Investigators specifically want to hear from anyone who may have seen Suarez between 7:56 p.m. and 8:12 p.m. on Friday, October 30, along the eastbound bike path near the Belt Parkway, between Bay 8th Street and Bay 17th Street. Police have also released her photograph in the hope that someone might recognize her movements or remember seeing suspicious activity in the area. Detectives are asking motorists who traveled along the nearby Belt Parkway that evening to come forward as well, since even seemingly minor observations could help establish a timeline.

The attack has deeply unsettled the local running community. The Shore Parkway Greenway is a familiar route for people who exercise outdoors, offering waterfront views and a place to train away from busy city streets. Following the incident, several runners expressed shock and fear, with some questioning whether the path was sufficiently safe after dark. New York Road Runners, the organization behind the city’s famous marathon, also expressed sympathy for Suarez and her family, saying their thoughts were with the victim and the wider running community.

For Suarez’s family, what began as a simple plan to meet after work became a nightmare that no parent should ever have to experience. A daughter who had told her father she was just minutes away was instead found gravely injured on a familiar running path. As police continue searching for the person responsible, the most important questions remain unanswered: Who attacked Katie Suarez, what prompted such violence, and how could someone carry out such an assault and disappear? Until investigators find the person responsible, a family and an entire neighborhood are left waiting for answers.

Source: PEOPLE