Dramatic Citizen's Arrest of Ecuadorian Immigrant Accused of Park Rape

In a stunning and intense incident, a group of NYPD officers, aided by vigilant New Yorkers, apprehended Christian Geovanny Inga-Landi, a 25-year-old Ecuadorian illegal immigrant accused of committing a brutal crime in Kissena Park. Witness video captured the dramatic moment when officers swarmed Inga-Landi, dragging him out from under a car where he had attempted to hide. This pivotal arrest followed a citizen's arrest by local residents who recognized him from a wanted poster.

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The charges against Inga-Landi are deeply disturbing. He is accused of threatening two 13-year-olds, a boy and a girl, with a large knife, forcing them into the woods at Kissena Park. There, police allege, he tied their wrists together, gagged them, and raped the girl. He then stole their cellphones and instructed them to remain silent while he escaped. This brazen attack occurred in broad daylight, shaking the community to its core.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny praised the community's swift action. "Everybody knew who we were looking for," Kenny said. "We had tips coming in actually naming the perpetrator. They saw him out on the street." Surveillance images released by the NYPD quickly led to Inga-Landi's identification and subsequent capture.

Two local heroes, Angela Sauretti, 23, and Jeffrey Flores, 24, played crucial roles in detaining Inga-Landi. "I seen him a few times – he comes to this store to buy stuff," Flores told the New York Post. "I waited for him. I waited the whole day to see if he would come up. He came at night." Their persistence paid off when they spotted him near a deli. Despite his efforts to hide under a car, they restrained him until the police arrived.

Inga-Landi, who appeared bloody and shirtless in the arrest video, suffered minor injuries during the scuffle with these good Samaritans. Kenny noted, "We saw from bodycam video at least 10 neighborhood people trying to do the right thing."

Authorities revealed that Inga-Landi entered the U.S. illegally through Eagle Pass, Texas, in 2021. Although he was captured and released, DNA collected at the time matched the evidence found at the scene of the crime. Between his illegal entry and the recent arrest, Inga-Landi had a record of minor offenses, including subway fare evasion and public drinking, along with a domestic violence incident with no charges filed.

Ecuadorian illegal immigrant is cornered. NYPD then drag the rape suspect from hiding under car after citizen’s arrest was made. pic.twitter.com/icl3k38m1Z

— JohnBurk (@johnburk39) June 19, 2024

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz highlighted the gravity of the situation. "This attack on two children in broad daylight in a city park strikes the very core of our society," she said. At his arraignment, prosecutors disclosed that DNA from a water bottle found at the crime scene matched Inga-Landi's, further strengthening their case. The criminal complaint details his admission to the attack, including tying and gagging the children, and threatening them with a knife.

Inga-Landi did not enter a plea at his arraignment and has been remanded without bail. As he faces the judicial process, the bravery and quick thinking of New Yorkers like Sauretti and Flores, along with others who intervened, stand out as a testament to community strength and solidarity.