Man Found Dead With Grisly Wounds in New York Central Park May Have Harmed Himself: Police

A man found dead in near a playground in New York City's Central Park appears to have inflicted grisly wounds on himself, police said Monday.

Officers said the body was discovered by a member of park staff just after 8:30 a.m. close to the bathrooms of the Heckscher Playground, close to the southern end of the park.

The NYPD believes him to be around 36 years old. He was declared dead at the scene by EMS workers.

"The victim sustained several superficial wounds in and about his stomach area, chest area and his neck," Assistant Chief Ruel Stephenson told reporters. "At this point in our investigation, we have not made a full determination as to the cause of death until the autopsy."

However, cops believe his wounds were self-inflicted. A bloody knife was recovered from the man's pocket.

Initial reports of a rope around the man's neck were clarified as being the cord from the man's hoodie.

Officers said the man was likely not homeless.

Heckscher Playground was built in 1926 as the first children's playground in Central Park. Its last rebuild was in 2016, according to the Central Park Conservancy, and is now one of 21 such playgrounds across the vast park.

The last know body to be discovered in Central Park was in July, at the north end in the Harlem Meer. Another individual was found in October 2022 in Turtle Pond, which sits closer to the center of the park.