BRONX, NY — Police are looking for a Bronx man they say raped a woman and took her cellphone during an attack in Mount Eden last month. Investigators identified the suspect as 24-year-old Ajene Nelson and said the assault happened in the early hours of Sept. 29 near Jerome Avenue and Marcy Place.
Emergency medical workers responded to the scene and took the victim to NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. Police said she was in stable condition after the attack. Detectives are still working the case and asking for help locating Nelson.
Suspect identified in Mount Eden assault investigation
According to police, Nelson is accused of attacking the woman near the intersection of Jerome Avenue and Marcy Place. The incident took place before dawn, when the area would have been relatively quiet and empty compared with busier daytime hours.
Authorities have not described the exact circumstances that led up to the assault, but they say the victim reported that Nelson robbed her phone during the incident. The allegation adds a theft component to the case, giving investigators another detail to consider as they try to find him.
Police did not immediately say whether the two knew each other before the encounter. No additional arrests were announced.
Victim taken to Lincoln Hospital after the attack
EMS crews were called to the location and transported the woman to NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln for treatment. Police said she remained stable, but they did not release further information about her injuries or condition.
That hospital, located in the Bronx, frequently receives trauma and emergency patients from across the borough. In this case, the swift response by medical workers underscores how quickly the situation escalated from an attack on the street to a hospital transport.
Officials have not provided a fuller medical update, and no timeline has been given for when the victim may be able to give additional statements to detectives.
Cellphone theft becomes part of the case
Police said the woman told investigators that Nelson took her cellphone during the encounter. While the sexual assault remains the central accusation, the reported phone theft may also be important evidence if officers are able to trace the device or connect it to the suspect.
Cellphones often become key pieces of evidence in violent-crime cases because they can contain call logs, messages, location data or other records. Police have not said whether they have recovered the phone or whether any digital evidence has been collected so far.
At this stage, detectives are treating the robbery allegation as part of the broader criminal investigation into the attack.
Police continue to investigate and seek public help
Investigators are still working to determine Nelson’s whereabouts more than a month after the alleged assault. Police have not announced where he may be staying or whether they believe he remains in the New York City area.
Cases like this often move forward through witness statements, surveillance video and tips from the public. Police have not released details about any video footage, but they are continuing to ask for information that could help locate the suspect.
Anyone with relevant information would typically be asked to contact police, although no specific tip line was included in the bulletin.
What is known about the September 29 incident so far
The sequence described by investigators is limited but clear: a woman was attacked early on Sept. 29 near Jerome Avenue and Marcy Place in Mount Eden, taken to Lincoln Hospital and later reported that her cellphone had been stolen. Police then identified Nelson as the man they believe was responsible.
Because the case remains active, authorities have not released a full account of how the encounter began or what happened in the moments before and after the assault. They also have not said whether prosecutors have filed charges yet.
For now, the investigation remains open, and police are working to bring Nelson into custody while continuing to piece together the circumstances of the crime.
How the case fits the city’s broader street-crime concerns
Even as this investigation centers on one alleged assault, it reflects a broader concern for residents in neighborhoods where street encounters can turn dangerous without warning. The reported attack happened outdoors and in the early morning, a setting that can make victims especially vulnerable.
Police did not tie the case to any wider pattern or warning, and they have not suggested that anyone else is wanted in connection with the incident. Still, the allegation of a violent attack followed by the theft of a cellphone is likely to draw attention from people who live and work nearby.
As detectives press ahead, the case will depend on whether they can locate Nelson and confirm the details through witness accounts and other evidence.