Witness chases off attacker assaulting teen on Upper East Side

Woman assaulted near Gracie Mansion

A woman was sexually assaulted on the Upper East Side near Gracie Mansion. The NYPD released photos of the man police believe is responsible for the attack. FOX 5 NY's Duarte Geraldino has details on how a nearby doorman stopped the assault.

NEW YORK - Police responded to "calls for help" on the Upper East Side overnight Friday.

When officials arrived, they found a 19-year-old woman who said she had been sexually assaulted.

A witness told police they heard screams around 1:20 a.m., stopped the perpetrator in the act and chased them away from the scene.

Police said an Upper East Side doorman heard a young woman crying for help. As he rushed to her, he saw what investigators believe may have been her attacker.

"I saw this man just running up towards York. I tried to tell him, stop or who are you, but he just kept running," the doorman said.

Investigators say the 19-year-old woman did not know the man who tried to rape her.

"From what she said, the guy tried to put his hands down her pants. It was just really sad," the doorman said.

The woman was allegedly grabbed from behind, dragged and sexually assaulted near 90th Street and York, blocks away from Gracie Mansion.

The suspect fled the scene in an unknown direction.

The investigation remains ongoing. Check back for updates.

Upper East Side murder-suicide

A domestic dispute led to a murder suicide on the Upper East Side on Friday, with a 45-year-old mother being shot and killed in front of her 1-year-old child. FOX 5 NY's Antwan Lewis has the story.

In July, a woman shot and killed the mother of her grandchild in an apparent murder-suicide half a block away from the mayor's residence at Gracie Mansion.

NYPD officials said two women were found with gunshot wounds at E 88th Street between York and East End.

The victim was a 45-year-old woman, believed to be the mother of the toddler in the car. Police said the shooter was a 65-year-old retired Cook County, Illinois, probation officer who had been living with family members in New York City.

The retired probation officer is believed to be the grandmother of the victim's child, police said.

Detectives said they believe the grandmother shot the mother and then herself.

If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741- 741 (Crisis Text Line). CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. Call 1-800-273-TALK for free and confidential emotional support.