Brooklyn school aide charged in runner's killing raises hiring concerns

A Brooklyn elementary school aide and former New York City police officer charged in the killing of 28-year-old runner Katie Suarez has been suspended, as a New York state lawmaker demanded answers Sunday about the city’s Department of Education hiring practices.

Sayed Mohassib, 27, is accused of murder in the Oct. 30 stabbing of Suarez, who was training for the New York City Marathon. Chan questioned how Mohassib was hired to work around children after being turned down for a return to the NYPD because supervisors noticed concerning behavior.

A Department of Education spokesperson said Mohassib will be fired if convicted. The department has not responded to questions about its vetting process.

State Sen. Steve Chan (R-Brooklyn) expressed concern about Mohassib’s employment at the elementary school.

“I can’t believe that our children, our school staff, our teachers were exposed to this kind of dangerous behavior for all this time.” Chan said.

Police say Mohassib stabbed Suarez in the neck. She had been jogging along the Shore Parkway Greenway Promenade in Bath Beach.

According to the criminal complaint, surveillance video captured the suspect walking along the running path and later running away.

Detectives said Mohassib told them he went to the bike path with a knife because he believed people were coming to kill his family. He also told them he sat on a bench covered in blood.

The complaint says video showed him returning home, then coming outside minutes later wearing only underwear and throwing items into a garbage chute. Mohassib denied stabbing anyone but said he went home and disposed of bloody clothing and the knife.

Suarez’s neighbor Kirill Maximov expressed relief about the arrest.

“I’m just I’m happy they caught the guy.” Maximov said.

Questions about Mohassib’s employment history

Mohassib served as an NYPD officer for about a month in 2022. A law enforcement source said he left to join the military.

Sen. Chan spent 27 years with the NYPD, including 17 as a police supervisor. He questioned whether the education department sought information about Mohassib’s prior employment before hiring him.

“I’m hoping that at least the Department of Education asked the NYPD for a reference or his employment record and see why he was dismissed or not rehired, whatever it was,” Chan said.

“Somebody needs to be accountable here.”

It remained unclear Sunday whether Mohassib and Suarez knew each other. Public records show they attended Brooklyn College at the same time.

Suarez was a registered organ donor. Since her death, five of her organs have saved the lives of four people, according to a statement from LiveOnNY Sunday.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC New York. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC New York journalist edited the article for publication.