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Man attacks kids, chokes 7-year-old boy, at Brooklyn playground, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published May 18, 2026
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hapabapa via Getty Images
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published May 18, 2026
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Police are looking for a man they say attacked a group of children at a Brooklyn park last week, including by choking one of them.
NYPD officials said the man approached a 5-year-old girl, 7-year-old boy and 12-year-old boy at the Bush-Clinton Playground in the Red Hook Recreation Area around 6:30 p.m. last Monday.
Police said he knocked both the 5-year-old and 12-year-old to the ground, and placed his hands around the 7-year-old’s neck, applying pressure, before running out of the park.
The 7-year-old boy sustained bruising and pain, according to the NYPD. Emergency medical workers treated all three kids at the scene.
Officials said the man did not know the children. They said they are still investigating whether he said anything to them and why he approached them.
NYPD data shows felony assaults in the 76th Precinct, which includes Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and other neighborhoods in the area, were up by several incidents through May 10 this year compared to the same period last year. Citywide, they were down a little more than 1% in the same timeframe, according to the data.
Police are asking anyone with information about the Red Hook incident to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips on the Crime Stoppers website.
This story is based on preliminary information from police and may be updated.
Tagged
brooklyn
new york city
public safety
red hook
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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