A former NYPD officer accused of killing a young woman who was jogging along a Brooklyn pathway last week has admitted to the slaying, but told investigators he cannot remember the attack, according to police sources.
Sayed Mohassib, 27, was charged Saturday with second-degree murder in the death of Katie Suarez, who was attacked along the Shore Parkway Greenway promenade, the sources said.
Investigators identified Mohassib after surveillance footage allegedly showed him leaving the park around the time Suarez was assaulted. Police later located him at his home in New Jersey, according to the sources.
Mohassib allegedly told detectives he blacked out and had no recollection of the violence. He said he later awoke covered in blood with the suspected murder weapon in his possession.
Authorities believe he discarded the knife in the trash. Investigators said it was transported to a Staten Island landfill before ultimately being moved to a dump in New Jersey.
Mohassib, a Bensonhurst resident, had briefly served with the NYPD before being removed after he was found psychologically unfit for duty, sources said.
He initially left the department after five months to enlist in the Marines, but was discharged because of apparent mental-health concerns, according to the sources. When he later tried to return to the NYPD, he was quickly dismissed.
At the time of the attack, Mohassib was employed as a teacher’s aide at PS 200 in Bensonhurst, sources said.
Mohassib and Suarez had both attended Brooklyn College, although investigators have not determined whether the two knew each other.
Suarez, 28, was fatally wounded Oct. 30 while running along the path beside the Belt Parkway.
Her father discovered her body on the pathway after she failed to meet her parents following her run. Shortly beforehand, Suarez had sent a final message saying she was only five minutes from the spot where they planned to meet.
Police said Suarez had suffered deep cuts on both sides of her neck. At this stage, investigators believe the attack was random. She was not robbed or sexually assaulted, and her family said she had no known enemies or romantic partners who might have posed a threat.
Suarez was taken to a hospital and declared brain dead. She remained on life support so her organs could be recovered and donated to others.
Her mother said Suarez had been preparing for a running competition scheduled for Nov. 14 when she was attacked.
“She didn’t deserve this,” Yasira Suarez told The Post earlier this week. “Katie was very happy, she was a person who would never bother anyone.
“Everyone who met her would say she left a lasting impression in their hearts. She was the kind of person who always thought of others before herself.”
