Bystanders Stop an Attempted Rape in Central Park as Suspect With Prior Conviction Arrested

A man on parole was arrested Monday after allegedly attempting to rape a woman in Central Park before being stopped by bystanders and later taken into custody by police, according to law enforcement officials and sources, as reported by The New York Post.

The suspect, identified as Lateef Caldwell, 30, is accused of attacking a 45-year-old woman at approximately 5:40 p.m. near 109th Street and East Drive.

Authorities said the incident occurred in an area of the park that has seen limited reports of similar crimes in recent data.

BREAKING: Man on parole stopped from raping a woman in Central Park by good Samaritans.

Lateef Caldwell, 30, who was released on parole less than a year ago following a similar sexual abuse conviction, is accused of attacking another woman in the park before the bystanders… pic.twitter.com/slA4uq9bRd

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According to police and sources, Caldwell allegedly approached the woman and attempted to assault her before being interrupted by individuals nearby who intervened.

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The victim, who sources said was Muslim and wearing a hijab at the time, did not report any injuries following the incident.

After the intervention, Caldwell allegedly fled the scene. Law enforcement officers apprehended him shortly afterward near 106th Street and East Drive.

Caldwell, who resides in a shelter on Wards Island, has been charged with attempted rape, attempted sexual assault, and sexual abuse, police said. His arraignment in the case was pending as of Tuesday night.

Authorities confirmed that Caldwell had been released on parole less than a year ago following a previous conviction tied to a similar incident in Manhattan.

That earlier case stemmed from an April 20, 2022, encounter in the East Village, where Caldwell allegedly tackled a 23-year-old woman and attempted to remove her clothing while on East 13th Street.

During that investigation, Caldwell provided a statement to law enforcement that was documented in a criminal complaint.

“I recognize her. I had a disturbance with her that was a misunderstanding. I bumped into her and fell with her to the ground. I had an erection when it happened.”

He was initially charged in that case with attempted rape and attempted sexual abuse in the first degree.

Prosecutors said he later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and received a sentence of three years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.

State Corrections records show Caldwell was incarcerated from March 21, 2023, until April 15, 2025. His parole is scheduled to run through 2029.

Data from the New York Police Department shows that no rape incidents had been reported in Central Park as of Sunday, or during the same time period the previous year.

However, two other sex-related offenses in the park were under investigation as of that date, matching the total from the same period last year.

Citywide statistics indicate that the NYPD has investigated 463 rape cases so far this year, compared to 441 during the same period last year, representing an increase of about 5 percent.

The department has attributed part of the increase in reported incidents since September 2024 to changes in state law that expanded the legal definition of rape to include additional forms of sexual assault.

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