Woman strangled in Times Square hotel attack; suspect arrested – NBC New York

A suspect was charged with murder after a seemingly random broad daylight attack in which he strangled a woman in front of a Times Square hotel, according to police.

The alleged incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 29, as the victim was walking on West 46th Street near Eighth Avenue in midtown Manhattan. That's when the suspect, 33-year-old Jaheem Warren, launched the surprising and brutal daytime attack in which he strangled the woman.

The victim, identified by police as Leslie Torres, was left unconscious on the sidewalk in front of the Riu Plaza New York Times Square Hotel, police said, a bustling part of the popular tourist area. Staff at the hotel found Torres and she was rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospital.

24/7 New York news stream: Watch NBC 4 free wherever you are

She suffered critical injuries as a result of the attack. The 23-year-old, who had been living in a nearby shelter, died from her injuries on Nov. 4.

Police said they identified Warren based on video from security cameras on the block and were able to track him down in New Jersey, where he lives. Warren was arrested Tuesday and faces charges including second-degree murder as well as first- and second-degree assault and strangulation, police said.

As he was led away from the stationhouse by police, Warren denied attacking the victim, simply stating "no" when as if he had assaulted her. Attorney information for Warren was not immediately available.

Police said the attack appeared to be completely random, adding that Torres and Warren did not know each other. No further details of what led up to the deadly attack were released.

According to NYPD crime statistics, the Midtown North precinct (which covers most of midtown, the Theater District and Hell’s Kitchen) has seen an increase in most violent crimes in 2024 compared to the previous year. Those stats include murder, rape, robbery and felony assault.