Bronx parks commissioner and volunteer attacked in Starlight Park

Bronx Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa was attacked on Saturday afternoon while in one of the borough’s parks.

According to Parks spokesperson Anessa Hodgson, on Sept. 25, while attending a volunteer event in Starlight Park, located in the West Farms section of the Bronx, Rodriguez-Rosa and a volunteer were violently attacked by an emotionally disturbed park patron who was exhibiting erratic behavior.

Following the attack, the man was arrested by the NYPD.

Rodriguez-Rosa and the volunteer were treated for injuries on-site and will receive further medical care from their private physicians, according to the parks spokesperson.

“We condemn any and all acts of violence in our parks and are especially saddened when committed against a Parks employee,” Hodgson said. “This was an unfortunate encounter with an emotionally disturbed individual, but we are grateful that they have been apprehended and that our Borough Commissioner wasn’t greatly harmed. Our thoughts are with her and the volunteer who was assaulted over the weekend. We wish them a speedy recovery and thank them for their dedicated service.”

Rodriguez-Rosa was appointed Bronx parks commissioner in 2015, having previously served as Queens chief of recreation since 2006. Rodriguez-Rosas has held various positions in a number of capacities in various divisions citywide including the Bronx, where she served as the Bronx chief of recreation from 1994 to 2006.