THE NYPD IS asking for the public’s help identifying the person seen in this video who they say is wanted in connection with an early morning rape that occurred in the vicinity of Park Avenue and East 183rd Street in the Belmont section of The Bronx on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. Video courtesy of the NYPD
Police said a 30-year-old man has been arrested and charged with the rape of a 19-year-old woman in Belmont on Sept. 17.
The department had been asking for the public’s help identifying the person seen in the attached video and photo who they said was wanted in connection with the incident.
Police said that on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at around 3 a.m., a 19-year-old female victim was sitting on a bench in the vicinity of Park Avenue and East 183rd Street when an unidentified person approached and sexually assaulted her. They said the suspect then fled the location on foot, traveling eastbound on 183rd Street to parts unknown. They said the victim refused medical attention at the scene.
Photo courtesy of the NYPD
Police said the suspect was described as male, had a dark complexion, and was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants, and black shoes.
Pursuant to an ongoing investigation, on Sept. 19, police said Xavier Chapman, 30, of Belmont was arrested and charged the same day at 8.30 a.m. in the 41st Precinct, which covers the neighborhoods of Hunts Point and Longwood.
Source: NYPD / CompStat
They said he was charged with rape, sexual abuse, and harassment. He is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.
In early October, the NYPD said citywide rape incidents had decreased by 13.2% (158 vs. 182) in September compared to the same period in 2024. They said the downward trend comes a year after the law changed “to rightfully broaden the legal definition of rape in New York State to include additional forms of sexual assault.” They said year-to-date, rape increased by 18.8% (1,513 vs. 1,274), and 13.2% (515 vs. 456) for the quarter (Q4 ending September 2025).
“The NYPD recognizes that rape is a traditionally underreported crime and continues to encourage survivors of sexual assault to come forward and report these incidents,” an NYPD spokesperson said.
Attached are the crime statistics for the 46th, 50th and 52nd Precincts. The Belmont incident took place in the 48th Precinct.
Source: NYPD / CompStat
To report a sex crime to the NYPD, you should call 911 if you are in immediate danger. For non-emergencies, use the dedicated hotline for the Special Victims Division.
“The Special Victims Unit’s 24-hour hotline is staffed around the clock allowing individuals the ability to report sex crimes and be connected directly and immediately with the appropriate Special Victims Squad who will handle their report,” an extract from the NYPD’s website reads. “To make a report of a sex crime, call our 24-hour hotline at 646-610-7272 or 212-267-7273.”
The extract continues, “The NYPD in conjunction with The New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault provides access to the resources and services survivors of sexual violence need in the Sexual Assault Survivor Resource Guide which can be found in every precinct, police service area, and transit district throughout New York City and can also be accessed here.”
Source: NYPD / CompStat
The District Attorney’s office also urges anyone who is, or who believes someone they know is, the victim of a sex crime to call the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. Contact numbers at the Bronx District Attorneys Office, including one for victims of sex crimes, are included below:
| Department | Phone # |
|---|---|
| General Information | 718-590-2000 |
| Bias Hotline | 718-590-BIAS (2427) |
| Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Hotline | 718-838-7344 |
| Civilian Complaint Unit | 718-590-2300 |
| Community Engagement Unit | 718-590-2272 |
| Crime Victims Assistance Bureau | 718-590-2115 |
| Domestic Violence | 718-838-6688 |
| Elder Abuse | 718 590-2260 |
| Immigrant Affairs Unit | 844-590-SCAM (7226) |
| Communications/Public Information | 718-590-2234 |
| U-VISA Hotline | 718-590-VISA (8472) |
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.
All calls are strictly confidential.
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.