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Empire Blvd. Stabbing Suspect Attacked 2 More Men in Prospect Park: Sources

By  Alexandra  Talty Rachel Holliday Smith and Aidan Gardiner | March 10, 2016 11:16am | Updated on March 10, 2016 2:22pm

 Keny Rochelin, 26, stabbed a jogger near Lincoln Road and East Drive Wednesday night, police said.
Keny Rochelin, 26, stabbed a jogger near Lincoln Road and East Drive Wednesday night, police said.
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DNAinfo/Alexandra Talty

PROSPECT-LEFFERTS GARDENS — A man who stabbed a young Jewish man in a possible hate crime in February was arrested after stabbing two men in separate Prospect Park muggings Wednesday night, sources said.

In the February attack, Keny Rochelin, 26, came up behind the 25-year-old man on Empire Boulevard, between Albany and Kingston avenues, and stabbed the left side of his back, puncturing his lung just before noon, sources said.

Rochelin was spotted on surveillance footage fleeing the February stabbing, sources said. (NYPD)

The victim in that attack was treated at Kings County Hospital for injuries that weren't considered life-threatening, police said.

Rochelin, meanwhile, escaped and remained at large until Wednesday, when he mugged a jogger and another man in Prospect Park, sources said.

Rochelin stabbed a jogger at about 11:30 p.m. in the hand when the victim tried to block the attack near Lincoln Road and East Drive, an NYPD spokeswoman said. The mugger then fled empty-handed, police said.

"He went up and stabbed someone out of the blue with no real provocation for that, no argument, in Prospect Park," said NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce.

Rochelin then mugged a 43-year-old man near Parkside and Ocean avenues, stabbing him in the stomach before stealing his wallet, police said.

Both victims were treated at Kings County Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition, police said.

Responding officers arrested Rochelin on charges of robbery, assault and criminal possession of a weapon, police said.

"He was arrested for those two crimes last night. We believe he is the person who did that crime as well, so that closes out a series of stabbings in and around Brooklyn," Boyce said.

"We will charge him with that hate crime," he added.

Mayor Bill de Blasio had called the February attack "a possible hate crime" and the Anti Defamation League had offered $5,000 for information leading to the suspect's arrest.

Visitors to Prospect Park, which is open from 5 a.m. until 1 a.m., said they rarely went into the park after dark.

"I've cut across the park at night going to the meadow and I've thought, 'Oh, I shouldn't do that,'" said Antje Ellerman, 44.

"Six or 7 o'clock is the latest I would go to the park. You're looking for trouble after those times," added Roger Baratt, 59.

Others wished they could enjoy the park at every hour of the day and not be afraid of violence.

"When there is no one around, it can feel dangerous. I don't come after 9 p.m.," said Nathalie Sommer, 39. "You should be able to jog in the park at any time."

With reporting by Eddie Small