Mamdani calls for investigation on how a man charged for jogger's murder was hired by DOE

Key Points:

• Mayor Zohran Mamdani has ordered a full review into how Sayed Mohassib, charged with killing Brooklyn jogger Katie Suarez, was employed by the city's public school system despite a history of psychiatric issues.
• Mohassib, 27, worked as a paraprofessional at P.S. 200 in Bath Beach and was arrested for Suarez's murder, which occurred on October 30; the Department of Education (DOE) has suspended him and is providing counseling to affected students and families.
• Concerns have been raised about the DOE's screening process, as Mohassib had previously been deemed unfit for duty by the NYPD and was discharged from the Marines for psychiatric reasons, yet was still allowed to work in a school environment.
• Experts and officials highlighted systemic failures in monitoring employees' mental health after hiring, noting that DOE background checks do not assess psychiatric history and ongoing evaluations are lacking.
• The DOE emphasized student safety as a top priority and is cooperating with the NYPD investigation, while elected officials call for improved interagency communication to flag potential risks in school employment.