Detectives locked up an alleged creep who attempted to sexually assault three women in the span of three hours on Thursday in Queens.
Makijah Lino, 22, of 112th Street in Richmond Hill faces two counts of attempted rape as well as forcible touching and child endangerment charges for the series of attacks that took place on Nov. 12 not far from where he lived.
Law enforcement sources said Lino was located through an anonymous tip that police received.
Both Police Commissioner Dermot Shea and Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison praised the efforts of the NYPD Queens Special Victims Squad and the 102nd Precinct in locating and arresting the suspect just a day after the attacks.
Suspect in custody.
This morning, @NYPDSVU detectives arrested a 22 y/o man as part of this investigation.
My thanks to all the @NYPDDetectives who continue to work around the clock, finding justice for the victims, & preventing more of these crimes.https://t.co/WWFNfhp9LR
— Edward A. Caban (@NYPDPC) November 14, 2020
Excellent work by Queens Special Victims and the 102 Precinct for identifying and apprehending Mr. Lino so quickly. Keep up the great work and stay safe!
— NYPD Chief of Department (@NYPDChiefOfDept) November 14, 2020
The first attack happened at 10:40 a.m., when Lino allegedly approached a 20-year-old woman in front of a home on 104th Street near Jamaica Avenue in Richmond Hill.
Cops said that Lino allegedly wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up while grabbing her buttocks. When the woman resisted, the suspect put her down and ran away.
Nearly two hours later, at 12:35 p.m., Lino allegedly attacked a 14-year-old girl near the corner of 84th Avenue and 118th Street.
Detectives said that the perpetrator grabbed hold of the victim, pushed her into nearby bushes and attempted to remove her pants. The teenager managed to fight off her attacker, who then fled on foot in an unknown direction.
Law enforcement sources said that Lino allegedly preyed upon a 24-year-old woman 30 minutes later, at 1:05 p.m., inside of Forest Park, close to the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and Forest Park Drive.
According to authorities, the suspect grabbed the woman by her lower body, shoved her to the ground and attempted to remove her sweatpants. Once more, the victim fought the perpetrator off, causing him to flee in an unknown direction.
Neither of the three victims were physically injured, police said. The series of incidents prompted a massive police search of Forest Park that involved the NYPD Aviation Unit.
Later on Thursday, the NYPD released security camera footage of the suspect, later identified as Lino, walking in the vicinity of Jamaica Avenue and 105th Street just two minutes after the first attack, and in the area of 85th Avenue and 118th Street just three minutes after the second attempted assault.
