After a sexual assault incident occurred in the woods of Kissena Corridor Park in Flushing, Ms. Sun, who regularly exercises in these woods, said she no longer dares to work out there. She had previously seen the suspect of the sexual assault there, and even encountered two other suspicious men who appeared to be perverted, for which she had reported to the police. Following her recent report of the suspicious men, the police contacted her on the afternoon of June 13, after a 13-year-old girl was raped, to verify the suspect’s appearance.
Living near Kissena Corridor Park, Ms. Sun, who is in her forties, was interviewed by the local newspaper on July 4. She mentioned that she often goes to the small woods of the park for exercise, with the entrance to the woods located near the intersection of Colden St. and Kalmia Ave. Upon hearing the news of the rape of the 13-year-old girl at the location on June 13, she was shocked, saying, “Isn’t that the same woods where I exercise regularly? I even saw the suspect there with his green backpack and curly hair. I also encountered two other men who made indecent gestures towards me, for which I reported to the police.”
She reported the incident on May 13, when a black man with a hood on put his hand into his pants in front of her in the woods, causing her great fear. She quickly left the small woods and headed out to the park. The man followed her, prompting Ms. Sun to dial 911 for help. She said, “I was so scared that my voice changed, and the 911 operator could tell how scared I was, leading the police to arrive quickly.”
Despite her call for help, the police did not take further action at the time. Ms. Sun expressed anger at the lack of response, thinking, “Do they have to wait until something happens before they take it seriously? And then, something did happen!”
“On the afternoon when the 13-year-old girl was raped, I received a call from the police station asking me about the appearance and features of the suspect I reported earlier.” Ms. Sun recalled, “I felt scared when I remembered the incident, and thanks to reporting it, I have seldom gone there since.”
Ms. Sun revealed that she had encountered people making indecent gestures there more than once. “Last November, I saw a Hispanic man on a motorcycle stop in the woods. He was relatively short, squatted down, and when he stood up, his pants were off, exposing his lower body.” Worried and fearing his approach, she grabbed a large rock from the ground and started moving towards him. The man, upon seeing her threatening posture, quickly fled on his motorcycle.
Describing the wooded area of Kissena Corridor Park as a tranquil spot in the bustling area of Flushing, Ms. Sun emphasized that the narrow, densely wooded pathway is eerie and rarely populated, especially after dark. Drawing from her own experiences, she advised women not to walk along the pathway alone, especially not to linger inside. She also called for increased patrols and the installation of surveillance cameras by the police or park authorities for safety measures.