Five Teens Arrested for Brutal Assault on Two Girls in Queens Park

On May 2, 2025, two girls aged 13 and 16 were brutally assaulted in Kissena Park, Queens, by a group of older teenagers in a violent attack that lasted nearly two hours. The assailants, comprising four 17-year-olds and one 16-year-old, dragged the victims into a wooded area where they beat them with a baseball bat, shaved part of the older girl's head with a hair clipper, and stole valuables including limited-edition sneakers and a mobile phone. Disturbing videos circulating on social media show the younger girl being repeatedly struck while curled on the ground, and the attackers removing her shoes and clothing amidst the assault. Both victims, who are of Chinese descent, were hospitalized with severe bruising and injuries; one reportedly lost consciousness during the attack. The police have arrested five teenagers and are investigating the case as a robbery, though the victims' families and community advocates have called for a deeper probe into the motive, describing the assault as planned and inhumane. Despite the racial backgrounds of those involved, authorities have not classified the incident as a hate crime, and the attack has renewed safety concerns about Kissena Park following previous violent incidents in the area.