Law & Order Special Victims Unit s26e13 Episode Script
Extinguished
1
In the criminal justice system,
sexually based offenses
are considered especially heinous.
In New York City, the
dedicated detectives
who investigate these vicious felonies
are members of an elite squad
known as the Special Victims Unit.
These are their stories.
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER IN SPANISH]
Lucky me.
Your last two, huh?
Gracias.
I'll see you next time.
I'm starving here.
Where's the spread?
What you asked for, Grandpa.
Breakfast for dinner.
I asked for eggs.
Those are eggs.
Whites.
Doctor said your cholesterol is high.
I hate that doctor.
How is work?
- It's okay.
- Hmph.
You going out later with those
troublemaker friends of yours?
- They're not troublemakers.
- Yeah, that's right.
You're the troublemaker.
A troublemaker with a job.
Speaking of, when are
you gonna drop the, uh,
security guard thing
and become a real cop?
I told you already.
They don't want me.
The way crime is in
this neighborhood lately?
Their loss.
Took the test three times.
Didn't even get a call back.
I almost forgot.
A package came for you today.
Oh.
I've been waiting for this.
My new speaker.
Just keep the music down.
[SIGHS]
[HEAVY METAL MUSIC PLAYING]
♪
[BAT POUNDING CEILING]
♪
[POUNDS ON DOOR]
♪
Thought you were DoorDash.
No.
I live downstairs.
Yeah, I know who you
are. You're a cop, right?
All right, well, your
music's too loud.
Keep it down, all right?
Wow, okay.
Not a heavy metal fan, I see.
♪
You still looking
for Manhattan shale?
We're gonna be late for class.
I need it for geology in an hour.
You should have
gone to Central Park.
More rocks.
I didn't have time.
Keep looking.
[BIRDS SINGING]
Can you even name one schist?
Mica, chlorite, talc.
Show-off.
Oh, here's one.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
- [TWIG SNAPS]
- [GASPS]
A late night, Velasco?
You look like you
collided with the A train.
My neighbor kept me
up all night with his music.
Should've called the cops.
- [LAUGHTER]
- Funny.
All right.
Good, you're all here.
So we have a situation.
What's up, Cap?
Uh, two teenagers were
assaulted at knifepoint,
the girl was raped, and
They're both being
treated at Saint Mark's.
- Where'd it happen?
- Highbridge Park,
in Washington Heights.
That's a few blocks from my place.
Right, and I want you and Bruno
to head to the crime scene.
Silva and Finn will talk to the vics.
Anna Beltran and Moses Sanchez,
17, classmates at PS 355.
What are they doing
down here so early?
According to them, they were
rock hunting for her geology class.
Okay, were they able to
tell you what went down?
They were attacked by a
man, 30s, with some type of knife.
Tied them up, raped the girl.
Some homeless guy
found 'em, cut 'em loose.
Did he get a look at the perp?
No.
Well, there's a pole
camera about 100 yards away
by the basketball
court close to the exit.
Have them pull the footage.
Well, this is your neighborhood.
Anything like this happen recently?
Couple of assaults, armed robberies.
The lady who sells me
tamales was bitching that
the local precinct doesn't do anything
- about the crime around here.
- Yeah.
She happen to flag any sex
offenders in the neighborhood?
Not that I heard of, no.
Detectives, got something.
Lamp cord?
Homeless guy had it.
Gave it to a uni.
Any footprints nearby?
Do you have any idea how many
people come through this park?
All right, get the cord to the lab.
Maybe we'll get lucky on touch DNA.
Aside from the homeless guy.
I hate to say it, but
whoever attacked them,
he's probably a local.
Why is that?
This park's not exactly
a tourist attraction.
- [CROWD CLAMORING]
- Our children aren't safe!
My daughter got
robbed at knifepoint!
What are you doing about that?
Yeah, nothing!
You said people around
here know you're a cop?
Some do.
Why?
Then we need to catch this guy.
Before they start
knocking on your door.
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
So Anna, you told
my responding officers
that you and Moses
were collecting rocks
- in the park?
- Yeah.
I told you not to step
foot in there when it's dark!
- It was the morning.
- Andres, please.
She was just assaulted.
This is not what she needs.
Mr. and Mrs. Beltran,
I understand how difficult this is,
but, I really need to take
your daughter's statement
so we can find her attacker.
Okay?
So Anna,
um, what can you tell us
about what happened
to you and to Moses?
We had just found a rock.
I was picking it up.
Mm-hmm?
I heard a noise, a footstep.
That's helpful.
- And then what?
- Then
[SIGHS]
then this guy, he just
he just came out of nowhere.
And he was just standing right over us
right in front of our faces.
Okay, and you told,
uh, one of my officers
that he had a knife.
Do you have any idea what kind?
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
Is there some kind
of problem, Mr. Beltran?
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
We only want to help your daughter.
Anna, everything that
you tell us is private.
Okay?
He had a a box cutter.
And
And he put it to my throat.
And where was
Moses during this time?
He tied Moses's hands.
And he tied mine.
Then
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Then he raped me.
I don't wanna hear this anymore.
Now, what are you
doing to catch this animal?
Mr. Beltran, we're doing
everything that we can.
We're checking security cameras,
we're searching the park,
we're looking for witnesses.
I can't listen to this anymore!
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
I'm sorry, he's just frustrated
he couldn't protect his little girl.
This is difficult for
any parent to go through.
Believe me, we understand.
Is there anything else?
Yes, we need your
daughter to do a rape kit.
- A rape kit?
- So it's, um
It's an evidence collection kit
to see if, uh, your attacker
left anything behind.
If he left some DNA and if
that DNA is in the system,
then we can ID him.
Will it hurt?
Well, I'm not gonna lie to you.
It is a little uncomfortable.
And, uh, it does take a bit of time.
Is it okay if I stay with her?
Absolutely, the whole time.
I'll do it then.
Thank you.
And I promise we're gonna
get you home as soon as we can.
♪
My son says he didn't see anything.
That's not true, Dad.
I saw everything.
I saw what he did to
Anna, I saw his face.
Can you describe him?
Dark skin, brown hair.
Hispanic?
Black?
No.
It was more like Chino-Latino.
- Moses, that's enough.
- This is very helpful.
I mean, your son's brave.
You wanna help us more?
Yeah.
We'd like you guys to
come down to the station
and sit with a sketch artist.
I could do that.
We think the perp's local,
so, maybe if we post pictures of him,
somebody in the
neighborhood will recognize him.
What about my son?
Will the neighborhood
find out that he cooperated?
No.
That'd be a secret.
Okay.
And leave his hair really short.
All I remember is a ball cap.
Was there any insignia on it?
[SIGHS] No.
Anything else you remember?
Uh, his nose looked
[SIGHS]
Kinda like it was
broken and then healed.
Okay, good.
Like this?
Yeah.
Uh, and with a bump.
Got it.
His eyes were kinda shaped like
like almonds.
♪
Like this?
Yeah.
Okay, I'll leave you to it.
Let us know when you got something.
Well, that didn't take long.
The kid got a solid
look at the guy's face.
How's Anna?
She agree to the rape kit?
Well, let's just say it was easier
once the father left the room.
Anything from the park?
Still no witnesses.
Because nobody saw anything
or because
- they don't wanna help us?
- Little bit of both.
Lot of people in this
neighborhood come from
countries where the last people
you wanna trust are the cops.
It's frustrating.
Security cams are no help either.
Okay. What about the lamp cord?
Lab's still trying to pull
touch DNA, but so far nothing.
Okay. Anything in ViCAP?
Nothing that matches the MO.
We're gonna keep looking, Captain.
Hey, Anna make it
through the rape kit okay?
It was a tough couple hours.
I asked the lab for rush, but
Captain? Sergeant?
- Oh. Oh, great.
- Just finished.
Let's take a look.
Kid had a great sense of detail.
- Yeah.
- I hope this helps.
Yeah, thank you so much.
All right, so, um,
get copies of this to the chief of D's
and have them put it on
their social media feeds,
get it to the schools,
the news feeds.
You know the drill.
And then what? We hit the streets?
So Velasco, do you think
that this guy is from
the neighborhood?
The park and the high school
are pretty close to each other.
So if I had to take a guess,
that's why he went there.
It's risky to offend where he lives.
But he knows the streets.
And he knows the escape routes.
There haven't been
any rapes recently.
Only a few agg assaults.
Maybe the guy's escalating.
All right, so his hunting ground
is now your hunting ground.
I want you to take the lead on this.
Copy.
You're here because of that girl
that got raped at Highbridge Park?
You recognize that man?
Looks like garbage.
Yo, my man!
- Yo, Velasco.
- No.
Pick that up.
What's your problem?
What's my problem?
- You live here, right?
- Yeah.
Two teenagers were
attacked nearby you
So?
I don't talk to the police.
Uh-huh.
Are you telling me you don't care?
You believe this guy?
I should call it in for
littering just on principle!
That'll really help.
How are we ever
gonna arrest this guy
if nobody trusts us around here, huh?
It's a catch-22.
You have to earn their
trust by catching them,
but we can't catch them
until we have their trust.
So we're screwed, then?
How's that different
than any other day?
Does he look familiar?
Sorry, don't know him.
It's okay. Thanks for looking.
You gonna catch this guy or what?
We're doing our best.
Officers, can I grab
you guys a cup of coffee?
It's on the house.
Let me guess.
Closing up now?
How'd you know?
You were gonna dump
it down the drain anyway.
See, he's one of these
$7 cappuccino kind of guys.
But I could use a
free coffee right now.
- [RADIO CRACKLES]
- SVU portable.
34 in progress, 171 and Audubon.
That's two blocks away.
Let's go.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
- [TIRES SCREECH]
- Stop!
- NYPD!
- Yo! Hey!
[GRUNTING AND SHOUTING]
Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey!
- NYPD! Stop!
- Stop.
Yo, let go of me.
Velasco, you know this guy?
Yeah, he's my neighbor.
Yeah, we got you, punk.
We got you!
That's the sicko from the sketch.
He raped that girl.
I didn't rape anyone.
- Hey, we got him.
- Okay.
Resemblance is close enough. Cuff him.
You mean I got him.
- My head's bleeding.
- Get him to the ER.
Copy, Sarge.
- Are you gonna thank me or what?
- Not exactly.
- You're under arrest.
- Are you kidding me?
- For what?
- Assault.
Are you out of your mind?
♪
Okay. Copy that,
Chief.
Yes, I hear you.
So 1PP is being inundated with calls
from community activists
from
your neighborhood, Velasco.
What the hell did you do last night?
We arrested a group of vigilantes,
including my upstairs neighbor.
They thought they'd
caught the rapist.
Well, did they or didn't they?
Well, he's a damn
close match to the sketch.
The guy's name is Eddie Soto.
- And where is Soto now?
- Saint Mark's.
He's being treated for a concussion.
Velasco's neighbor got a little
carried away with the takedown.
And Silva and Bruno
are at the hospital
interrogating Soto now.
He does have a record, though.
Forcible touching. Two years ago.
Okay, so his DNA's in the system.
And where is, uh, Silva
with Anna's rape kit?
I'll tell her to call the lab again.
All right, and in the meantime,
as soon as Soto is released,
bring in Moses and Anna for a lineup.
Copy that, Captain.
Well, some neighbor you have.
Yeah, the guy's a nuisance.
He likes to blast his music,
he's some type of cop wannabe.
Uh-huh. And what did
they charge him with?
Assault two. He's
at Central Booking.
He'll be arraigned this afternoon.
Well, he seems to have deep ties
in your community, Velasco.
So, how well do you know him?
Other than his bad
taste in music,
- not at all.
- Well, I suggest
you get to know him
and what's going on
in your neighborhood
before I get another
call from the chief.
I told you I didn't do it.
You're not even gonna take my DNA?
We don't have to.
You're already in the system.
The forcible touching
charge from two years ago.
You remember that?
That arrest back then?
I was wasted.
What's your blood alcohol now?
I wasn't drinking.
Those clowns who beat
the hell out of me were.
Where
Where the hell are they?
Being processed.
When do I get to go home?
Not until we clear you.
And when we get the
results of the victim's rape kit
and put you in a lineup.
I'm telling you I didn't do it.
Then why don't you tell us where
you were at 7:00 a.m. yesterday?
Somewhere on my
commute home from work.
What do you do?
I'm a milling machine operator.
- At night?
- Yeah.
I worked a late shift doing
roadwork on the BQE.
Can anybody confirm that you
were on your way home at 7:00?
A girlfriend, a wife?
No.
I-I'm single.
When was the last time
you were in Highbridge Park?
Haven't been there in years.
So if we check your phone's GPS,
it's not gonna catch you in a lie?
No!
You have it.
Why don't you check already?
This guy look familiar?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
You're telling me that you
don't see any resemblance
between him and you at all?
Yeah, kinda.
Then how do you explain that?
I'm not a rapist!
♪
Danny Rocha, on the
charges of assault in the second,
- how do you plead?
- Not guilty, Your Honor.
People on bail?
Given the brutal
nature of this crime,
people request remand.
Brutal?
Are you kidding me?
Your client, armed with a baton,
led a vigilante mob to beat a man
so seriously he needed
to be hospitalized.
I could charge him
with attempted murder.
My client restrained a suspect
accused of assaulting
two 17-year-olds.
Raped one of them.
That's brutality.
All right, enough.
Ms. Duffy, remand is an overreach.
But I'm setting bail at 10,000.
Next case.
Detective Velasco?
Angel Rocha.
Danny's grandfather. We live upstairs?
Yeah, I've seen you
around and in the elevator.
How can I help you?
You can help my grandson.
He broke the law, Mr. Rocha.
[CHUCKLES] He was trying to
do what he thought was right.
Apprehending a-a rape suspect.
The one problem
is that he's not a cop.
All right, so he might be
a little overzealous at time.
Does this mean he
deserve to sit in jail?
How am I supposed to afford to bail?
I don't have that kind of money.
That's what bondsmen are for.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
Is this about the music?
Excuse me?
Danny told me you
came up to our apartment
the other night, to complain about it.
Look, I'm sorry that
Danny kept you awake.
Huh?
But he doesn't deserve this.
Mr. Rocha, this has
nothing to do with music.
Okay?
But it is out of my hands.
But y-you're the
one who arrested him.
You could talk to the ADA.
You seem to know
a lot about police work.
I was on the job for 20 years.
Transit.
You know, Danny always
wanted to walk in my footsteps.
He wants to be a cop.
Not anymore.
Did he ever take the test?
Yes.
Never got called back.
Look, he's never been
in trouble like this before.
Please don't ruin his future.
Thank you both so
much for coming in.
I heard you caught the guy?
We'd just like your son to
take a look at a few people.
See if you recognize anyone.
How does this work, exactly?
Well, inside that
room, there'll be six men,
but they can't see you.
So if you recognize the
man who attacked you,
then you're gonna
identify him by his number.
Can we get started?
Take your time, Moses.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
Looks a lot like number two.
[KNOCKS ON WINDOW]
Number two, step forward.
Is that the man you remember?
It looks a lot like him.
But
Number two, remove your hat.
What, what?
What is it?
I'm not sure.
There's something off.
I'm sorry, I don't think it's him.
Um, similar skin tone,
but the guy I saw,
he looked more Asian.
More Asian?
Like I told you, he was
dark-skinned Chino-Latino.
- Moving on?
- Hold on a second. Are you
Moses, are you sure you don't
you don't need another minute?
You can take your time.
No, I don't need to.
It's not him.
♪
No.
None of them look like
the man that raped me.
Are you
Are you positive?
Not 100%.
Okay, so how about
you take your time?
We're not in any rush, okay?
♪
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.
[SIGHS SOFTLY] I saw his face.
It's not any of them.
Okay.
I need some time with my client.
What happens now?
She didn't ID him.
Does he just go free?
We're still waiting for the DNA.
And some other evidence.
But thank you both
so much for coming in.
Okay, I have
I have to call Carisi.
So so far, we have no real evidence
to tie Eddie Soto to this attack.
Just a sketch,
which isn't admissible.
And no corporeal ID.
Thank you.
And there's no DNA.
That was the lab, and
his rape kit came back.
It's not a match for Eddie.
So my pain-in-the-ass
neighbor is in jail
for going after the wrong guy.
So what's the move here, Liv?
Well, our hands are tied.
We have to void his arrest.
We're back to square
one. We have no suspects.
I'll, uh, notify the victims.
- Captain.
- You get anything from TARU?
Park footage they didn't
capture anything substantial.
What about the sketch?
So Moses said that he
may have been Asian.
Anything in the system?
Facial rec?
No hits.
We even cross-checked
it against Interpol.
Nothing there either.
Well, what about touch DNA?
From the lamp cord that
was recovered at the scene?
Lab's still working.
So you're telling
me we have nothing?
Captain, I gotta show you something.
- [OVERLAPPING SHOUTING]
- All right, what is this?
What are we looking at?
How come nobody
sings "Kumbaya" anymore?
I don't think this country
is ever gonna get back there.
We just need to get this
community on our side.
- How can I help?
- Well
Your neighborhood is on fire.
Figure out a way to
To put it out.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
So you heard Benson.
Yeah, I heard her.
She wants me to fix
whatever's going on
because she thinks
this is my neighborhood.
It is, isn't it?
No, not really.
Well, let me ask you this.
How long have you lived
in Washington Heights?
Four years.
It's not like I talk to anybody.
So you're telling me you moved here
all the way from
Juarez just so you could
avoid talking to your neighbors here?
Look, I moved to this neighborhood
'cause the rent was cheap, all right?
You plan on moving out soon?
No.
Well, then I suggest
you set up some roots here.
And how the hell am
I supposed to do that?
Well, that's on you, Velasco.
What I do know is, the
rapist is still out here.
And if you don't figure a way
to mobilize your own
neighborhood and catch this guy
before he attacks again,
Benson's gonna fire your ass.
So that guy we beat
up wasn't the rapist?
- Nope.
- But he does have a record.
The only thing we know for
sure is that he did not rape Anna.
He looked exactly like
the guy in the police sketch.
You guys must have messed that up.
Oh, it's our fault now?
Danny, Danny, take it easy.
So the real rapist
is still out there.
That's what you're telling me?
Pretty much, yeah.
And what are you doing about that?
What am I doing?
I'm here.
That's what I'm doing.
Now, do you wanna get
out of this place or not?
What do you think?
Couldn't sleep at all.
Sound familiar?
Yeah. What do you want?
Believe it or not,
I'm here to help you.
Now, how do you propose to do that?
- The ADA who arraigned you
- The woman who hates me?
She talks a tough game,
but I happen to know that she
does not wanna take this to trial.
My client's not pleading
guilty to assault two.
She agreed to reduce
the charge to assault three.
That's a misdemeanor, right?
Yeah.
You'll do community service.
She also agreed to release you,
ROR, and offer an ACD.
Adjournment in
contemplation of dismissal.
It's pretty good.
You know what else is good?
This deal.
Nothing on his record?
We'll take it.
Why are you doing this for me?
Because I think we
got off on the wrong foot.
Your grandfather told
me you took the cop test.
They never called me back.
Well, there might still be a way
you can help your community.
Because the real rapist
is still out there, okay?
And the people in this neighborhood,
the way they feel about us,
nobody wants to cooperate.
And those people
marching on the street,
they have your back.
They seem to trust you.
So what do you need from me?
I need your help.
[SOFT UPBEAT MUSIC]
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]
Good to see you again, Sergeant.
Nice to meet you, Danny.
Here's more of the flyers.
Thanks.
This is gonna help a lot.
Please keep a lookout.
The kid's good.
Hey, guys, I think I wanna
canvass a few blocks south.
What do you say?
Yeah, who's a good boy?
You see anyone who looks like him
or hear any rumors, let us know.
There's an anonymous tip line
in case you don't wanna
give out your name.
Spread the word.
[DOG PANTING]
How am I doing, Detective?
No complaints so far.
Wow.
First time since I met you.
All right, come on.
We still got a lot of ground to cover.
The tip line's ringing off the hook,
but so far, no solid leads.
Well, at least people are calling.
What about the canvass?
Well, the neighborhood's
finally getting
all kumbaya about it.
- [PHONE BUZZES]
- Well good, that means
what Velasco did is working.
A little forgiveness
can go a long way.
Okay.
Lab got back with touch
DNA on that lamp cord.
Other than the two vics,
the homeless guy,
- two males.
- Okay. They in the system?
One is.
Omar Aziz, 52.
Well, what's his record?
Doesn't have one.
But he's ex-military.
All right, but his DNA
is not on Anna's rape kit.
No, just the cord.
Right, so how do you explain that?
Says he's a manager
at a dollar store in
Washington Heights.
All right, so find out
if they sell lamp cords,
and see if he remembers
who they sold it to.
[SIGHS]
Yo.
NYPD.
- What's going on?
- We're looking for Omar Aziz.
My manager?
He's probably in
the back in his office.
Can I help you, officers?
- Omar Aziz.
- What's this about?
We're investigating an assault
on two teens in Highbridge
Park two days ago.
Yes, I heard about it.
Yo, your DNA was on a
lamp cord found at the scene.
It was used to tie up the vics.
I had nothing to do with it.
Hmm.
Well, maybe you know someone who did.
Do you sell lamp cords here?
I'll show you.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
That's it.
You sell any of these cords lately?
I'd have to check.
All right.
We'll wait.
And we need a list
of all your employees.
♪
So Omar Aziz is not our rapist.
What about his employees?
Most of the cashiers are women,
and the only two male
stock boys had alibis
and gave DNA samples.
But we did show Omar the sketch.
- And?
- He vaguely recalled
a guy looking like that buying
a lamp cord a week ago.
But the guy paid cash.
So no help there.
Any cameras?
Not inside the store.
There's a few across the
street that we're checking.
And there's no other reports
of anyone getting
assaulted with a lamp cord?
- Not that we can find.
- Okay.
Well, he could be
a first-time offender.
If he is, he found
his MO pretty quick.
We put a public safety
team outside all stores
that sell lamp cord in
the surrounding area.
And we haven't found one person
who recognizes the sketch?
No, but after what
happened to Eddie Soto,
I think people are just afraid
of pointing the finger
at the wrong guy.
So you know what?
We keep at it, we keep at it.
[NOTIFICATIONS CHIMING]
Attempted rape, 167th
Street and Riverside Drive.
Vic had a lamp cord
wrapped around her wrist.
Witnesses spotted the
perp running from the scene.
We all head up there.
I'm calling in support.
Not letting this guy get away again.
Chief.
Chief, I need a tactical patrol unit.
I have a rape suspect fleeing
on foot at 167 and Riverside.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Captain!
What do we got?
As you requested, we
formed a four-block perimeter
from 158 to 165th.
Okay.
You set up roadblocks on Broadway?
Checking everyone.
Cars, trucks.
We got unis, task force canvassing.
What about apprehension teams?
- Search teams?
- They're going door to door.
- Any update on the perp?
- Same.
Witness saw him run up Riverside
wearing a ripped shirt.
Great, okay.
Thank you, Captain.
And where's our vic?
Around the corner in the bus.
Okay, great.
- Are you all right, Velasco?
- Yeah, all good.
All right, guys, I'm gonna
go take the victim's statement.
Keep searching, find witnesses.
On it, Liv.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Benson's got a full NYPD
platoon on the ground.
Yeah, she ain't playing.
Detective Velasco!
Danny, what are you doing here?
I want to help!
I'll meet you over there.
We got a full mobilization
down here already.
Okay?
We're good.
- Could have been me, you know.
- It still can.
- After failing the test
- You didn't fail.
You just didn't get called back.
- Can I at least help, though?
- No.
Not if it means that you gotta
spend another night in Rikers.
I won't do anything stupid,
- I promise
- Danny.
You've done enough.
But we didn't catch this guy yet.
You activated a whole community.
Somebody called in an attempted
rape because of what you did.
It's my neighborhood.
I grew up here.
I just don't want you to
get into any more trouble.
Okay?
♪
Okay, Lina, how are you holding up?
- I'm good.
- Yeah?
You up for a few questions?
Yeah, I wanna catch this guy.
Okay.
Um, can you describe him?
Under 6 feet,
somewhere in his 30s, and Filipino.
That's very helpful.
Um, can I show you something?
Yeah.
Okay.
Did he look like this?
Yeah, that was him.
Okay, very good.
So, Lina, tell me
Tell me what happened.
I was parking my Citi Bike, and
and he came up from
behind me and grabbed me,
and that's when I saw the box cutter.
Uh-huh.
And did he say anything?
He just said, "quiet,"
and, and he forced me
into the bushes, and
All right, take,
take your time.
It's okay.
And
And he threw me on the ground, and
He got on top of me
and he tried to tie my wrists
up with an electrical wire.
And then what happened?
Well, the box cutter, it scared me.
But the the cord, it
really freaked me out.
I get claustrophobic and I
was not gonna let him tie me up.
So I kicked him
hard right in the nuts.
Okay, good for you.
Good thinking.
I just
I ripped his shirt,
and I got out from under him
and I I ran the hell away.
All right, um.
Is there anything else
about him,
- any other detail you can
- Lina.
- [DOOR OPENS]
- Mama.
Baby.
- I'm okay, I'm okay.
- Sure.
Your daughter is tough.
I know.
I raised her to be.
Okay.
Wait. One more thing.
I think this guy might
have been born in April.
What makes you say that?
He had a tattoo of a ram,
like the Zodiac.
It was on his neck.
I saw it when I ripped his shirt.
Thank you, Lina.
That's, um, quite helpful.
You take care.
♪
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]
How is she?
She can ID him.
He has a tattoo.
It's an Aries symbol on his neck.
- I'll alert the team.
- Great.
Storm's gathering.
Certainly looks like it.
Yeah, it looks like the
retaliation committee.
We have to find this
guy before they do.
I have a report.
A group chasing a man
who fits the perp's
description near 164th.
That's three blocks away.
Let's move, let's move!
All right, follow me!
[SIREN WAILING]
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
They caught the rapist!
Don't let him get away!
- Get back, get back.
- Get back!
- Hey!
- Danny!
- NYPD!
- Danny, come on!
- Get back!
- Get the people back!
You heard the man!
Everybody get back!
- Get back!
- Get back!
- Back it up!
- Hey, don't do this!
Just let the police do their job!
You've done enough!
I don't know what
any of this is about.
No?
I've always heard
Aries were stubborn.
Cuff him.
And take him to the hospital.
♪
SVU captain to Central.
We got one under.
So we've confirmed that James Aquino
is the Highbridge Park rapist.
His DNA was a match
for the lamp cord found at
the scene and Anna's rape kit.
And he lives a block from the park.
We found another brand-new
lamp cord in his apartment.
And with Lina's ID of
both his face and his tattoo,
I think Carisi has enough to get him
on predatory sexual assault, rape,
and attempted rape in the first.
All right, so you two wanna
let Anna and Moses know?
- On it, Captain.
- Okay. Go, then.
Also, uh, all of you, take
take the rest of the night off.
- Sounds good.
- Yeah.
Before you clock out, uh, my office.
- Something wrong?
- Wrong?
Uh, no, Velasco, I
I called you in here, because I wanted
to pay you a compliment
about how you handled this case.
Oh.
Thanks.
You know, I'm still
digging into it, though.
How do you mean?
Well, I started checking
cold cases in the Bronx,
Brooklyn, Queens,
anything with a similar MO.
Okay, well, let me
know if you find anything.
It wasn't just me.
You know, the neighborhood
really came together.
Well, I can tell you why.
Two words.
[SOFT MUSIC]
Command presence.
You showed real leadership, Velasco.
- Thanks, Captain.
- Yeah.
Go home.
Get some sleep, will ya?
[SIGHS]
- I'll try.
- [CHUCKLES]
♪
Mr. Rocha?
Hey. Thanks for meeting me, mm?
Is everything okay with Danny?
Oh, yeah.
I just wanted to talk to you.
About?
What you did for him.
[CHUCKLES]
You're a stand-up guy.
Can I buy you a beer?
Sure.
Mr. Rocha, how you doing?
Hey, I want you to
meet my friend here.
I know you. You're that cop, right?
- Joe.
- Ah, nice to meet you.
- I'm Rudy.
- Can we get a table?
One of my regulars?
Anything.
Hector, get that table bussed.
[UPBEAT PUERTO RICAN MUSIC PLAYING]
Two beers.
You're off duty, right?
I am now.
Ah.
What?
You never been in here before?
No.
It's just around the
corner from our building.
Yeah, I work a lot.
Yeah, I remember those days.
You know, I might be
a little older than you,
but you and I, we're
not that different.
How so?
I wasn't born in New York.
I came from Puerto Rico.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
What, um
What made you choose
Washington Heights?
Uh, back then,
they didn't want people
like us below 96th Street.
Right.
♪
So what are we toasting to?
Being a cop.
[BOTTLES CLINK] Mm?
My career's over,
but yours is just beginning.
So is your reputation.
At least around here.
Yeah, I don't know about that.
Well, I do.
[CHUCKLES]
Trust me.
From now on,
people around here are
gonna remember your name.
♪
Mrs. Beltran, we caught the guy
and he's down at the station
being booked as we speak.
So, that's good news.
That's very good news.
And the man that we caught
tonight, Aquino, well, uh,
we confirmed that it's the same guy
who assaulted your daughter.
He also tried to rape
another girl earlier tonight.
She managed to get away.
She helped us ID him.
Is it over?
W-what happens now?
Will our kids have to testify?
There are no guarantees,
but, our ADA feels pretty confident
with all the evidence, Aquino
will probably take a plea.
We appreciate the
work you did, detectives.
Thank you.
Gotta admit, I'm kinda jealous.
Of what?
You know any of
your neighbors, Silva?
Nah, this is New York.
I thought we were supposed
to ignore our neighbors.
Yeah, I thought that too.
Well, maybe we should change that.
You first.
Let me know how that goes.
[ENGINE TURNS OVER]
Velasco.
Got your call.
You a'ight?
Yeah.
Just wanted to talk to
you about something.
- What is it? Liv?
- No, we're good.
Believe it or not, she actually
gave me a compliment.
She told me that I have
command presence.
Command presence, huh?
That means she thinks
you're a good cop.
Well, speaking of
which, Danny Rocha,
he wants to become one.
I was thinking maybe
we can help him out
by giving him some more
hands-on experience.
- We?
- Yeah.
You got a friend in the
Community Affair Bureau, right?
Yeah, the Auxiliary Police.
So, maybe you could
give him a call for me.
Well, you know what, Velasco?
Since you have command presence,
how 'bout I give you his
number and you make the call?
Doing okay here, Joe?
Yeah, we're good, brother.
Can I get you anything?
Beer's on the house.
On the house?
That's what I'm
talking about. Let's go.
They know you around here, huh?
What can I say?
This is my neighborhood.
[LOCK CLICKS]
[SIGHS]
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING UPSTAIRS]
♪
[POUNDING ON DOOR]
♪
Oh, sorry.
Is this about the music?
[CHUCKLING] No.
Wanted to give you something.
What's this?
Well, since you
didn't get a call back
after your police exam,
I found an NYPD
Auxiliary Police program.
Auxiliary, huh?
I know it's not the same, but
You get to ride around in a cop car
and help with
non-enforcement police issues
like crowd control and traffic.
Yeah, honestly, I don't
know anymore, man.
You never know.
This could lead to something else.
Plus, I already put in a call for you.
I got you assigned to a neighborhood
that could use somebody like you.
Which one?
This one.
Do I get to wear a uniform?
Yeah, you do.
So give me a call on that number
and I'll get you in touch
with the right guy, all right?
Oh, and Danny?
Huh?
Turn the music down.
♪
In the criminal justice system,
sexually based offenses
are considered especially heinous.
In New York City, the
dedicated detectives
who investigate these vicious felonies
are members of an elite squad
known as the Special Victims Unit.
These are their stories.
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER IN SPANISH]
Lucky me.
Your last two, huh?
Gracias.
I'll see you next time.
I'm starving here.
Where's the spread?
What you asked for, Grandpa.
Breakfast for dinner.
I asked for eggs.
Those are eggs.
Whites.
Doctor said your cholesterol is high.
I hate that doctor.
How is work?
- It's okay.
- Hmph.
You going out later with those
troublemaker friends of yours?
- They're not troublemakers.
- Yeah, that's right.
You're the troublemaker.
A troublemaker with a job.
Speaking of, when are
you gonna drop the, uh,
security guard thing
and become a real cop?
I told you already.
They don't want me.
The way crime is in
this neighborhood lately?
Their loss.
Took the test three times.
Didn't even get a call back.
I almost forgot.
A package came for you today.
Oh.
I've been waiting for this.
My new speaker.
Just keep the music down.
[SIGHS]
[HEAVY METAL MUSIC PLAYING]
♪
[BAT POUNDING CEILING]
♪
[POUNDS ON DOOR]
♪
Thought you were DoorDash.
No.
I live downstairs.
Yeah, I know who you
are. You're a cop, right?
All right, well, your
music's too loud.
Keep it down, all right?
Wow, okay.
Not a heavy metal fan, I see.
♪
You still looking
for Manhattan shale?
We're gonna be late for class.
I need it for geology in an hour.
You should have
gone to Central Park.
More rocks.
I didn't have time.
Keep looking.
[BIRDS SINGING]
Can you even name one schist?
Mica, chlorite, talc.
Show-off.
Oh, here's one.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
- [TWIG SNAPS]
- [GASPS]
A late night, Velasco?
You look like you
collided with the A train.
My neighbor kept me
up all night with his music.
Should've called the cops.
- [LAUGHTER]
- Funny.
All right.
Good, you're all here.
So we have a situation.
What's up, Cap?
Uh, two teenagers were
assaulted at knifepoint,
the girl was raped, and
They're both being
treated at Saint Mark's.
- Where'd it happen?
- Highbridge Park,
in Washington Heights.
That's a few blocks from my place.
Right, and I want you and Bruno
to head to the crime scene.
Silva and Finn will talk to the vics.
Anna Beltran and Moses Sanchez,
17, classmates at PS 355.
What are they doing
down here so early?
According to them, they were
rock hunting for her geology class.
Okay, were they able to
tell you what went down?
They were attacked by a
man, 30s, with some type of knife.
Tied them up, raped the girl.
Some homeless guy
found 'em, cut 'em loose.
Did he get a look at the perp?
No.
Well, there's a pole
camera about 100 yards away
by the basketball
court close to the exit.
Have them pull the footage.
Well, this is your neighborhood.
Anything like this happen recently?
Couple of assaults, armed robberies.
The lady who sells me
tamales was bitching that
the local precinct doesn't do anything
- about the crime around here.
- Yeah.
She happen to flag any sex
offenders in the neighborhood?
Not that I heard of, no.
Detectives, got something.
Lamp cord?
Homeless guy had it.
Gave it to a uni.
Any footprints nearby?
Do you have any idea how many
people come through this park?
All right, get the cord to the lab.
Maybe we'll get lucky on touch DNA.
Aside from the homeless guy.
I hate to say it, but
whoever attacked them,
he's probably a local.
Why is that?
This park's not exactly
a tourist attraction.
- [CROWD CLAMORING]
- Our children aren't safe!
My daughter got
robbed at knifepoint!
What are you doing about that?
Yeah, nothing!
You said people around
here know you're a cop?
Some do.
Why?
Then we need to catch this guy.
Before they start
knocking on your door.
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
So Anna, you told
my responding officers
that you and Moses
were collecting rocks
- in the park?
- Yeah.
I told you not to step
foot in there when it's dark!
- It was the morning.
- Andres, please.
She was just assaulted.
This is not what she needs.
Mr. and Mrs. Beltran,
I understand how difficult this is,
but, I really need to take
your daughter's statement
so we can find her attacker.
Okay?
So Anna,
um, what can you tell us
about what happened
to you and to Moses?
We had just found a rock.
I was picking it up.
Mm-hmm?
I heard a noise, a footstep.
That's helpful.
- And then what?
- Then
[SIGHS]
then this guy, he just
he just came out of nowhere.
And he was just standing right over us
right in front of our faces.
Okay, and you told,
uh, one of my officers
that he had a knife.
Do you have any idea what kind?
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
Is there some kind
of problem, Mr. Beltran?
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
We only want to help your daughter.
Anna, everything that
you tell us is private.
Okay?
He had a a box cutter.
And
And he put it to my throat.
And where was
Moses during this time?
He tied Moses's hands.
And he tied mine.
Then
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Then he raped me.
I don't wanna hear this anymore.
Now, what are you
doing to catch this animal?
Mr. Beltran, we're doing
everything that we can.
We're checking security cameras,
we're searching the park,
we're looking for witnesses.
I can't listen to this anymore!
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
I'm sorry, he's just frustrated
he couldn't protect his little girl.
This is difficult for
any parent to go through.
Believe me, we understand.
Is there anything else?
Yes, we need your
daughter to do a rape kit.
- A rape kit?
- So it's, um
It's an evidence collection kit
to see if, uh, your attacker
left anything behind.
If he left some DNA and if
that DNA is in the system,
then we can ID him.
Will it hurt?
Well, I'm not gonna lie to you.
It is a little uncomfortable.
And, uh, it does take a bit of time.
Is it okay if I stay with her?
Absolutely, the whole time.
I'll do it then.
Thank you.
And I promise we're gonna
get you home as soon as we can.
♪
My son says he didn't see anything.
That's not true, Dad.
I saw everything.
I saw what he did to
Anna, I saw his face.
Can you describe him?
Dark skin, brown hair.
Hispanic?
Black?
No.
It was more like Chino-Latino.
- Moses, that's enough.
- This is very helpful.
I mean, your son's brave.
You wanna help us more?
Yeah.
We'd like you guys to
come down to the station
and sit with a sketch artist.
I could do that.
We think the perp's local,
so, maybe if we post pictures of him,
somebody in the
neighborhood will recognize him.
What about my son?
Will the neighborhood
find out that he cooperated?
No.
That'd be a secret.
Okay.
And leave his hair really short.
All I remember is a ball cap.
Was there any insignia on it?
[SIGHS] No.
Anything else you remember?
Uh, his nose looked
[SIGHS]
Kinda like it was
broken and then healed.
Okay, good.
Like this?
Yeah.
Uh, and with a bump.
Got it.
His eyes were kinda shaped like
like almonds.
♪
Like this?
Yeah.
Okay, I'll leave you to it.
Let us know when you got something.
Well, that didn't take long.
The kid got a solid
look at the guy's face.
How's Anna?
She agree to the rape kit?
Well, let's just say it was easier
once the father left the room.
Anything from the park?
Still no witnesses.
Because nobody saw anything
or because
- they don't wanna help us?
- Little bit of both.
Lot of people in this
neighborhood come from
countries where the last people
you wanna trust are the cops.
It's frustrating.
Security cams are no help either.
Okay. What about the lamp cord?
Lab's still trying to pull
touch DNA, but so far nothing.
Okay. Anything in ViCAP?
Nothing that matches the MO.
We're gonna keep looking, Captain.
Hey, Anna make it
through the rape kit okay?
It was a tough couple hours.
I asked the lab for rush, but
Captain? Sergeant?
- Oh. Oh, great.
- Just finished.
Let's take a look.
Kid had a great sense of detail.
- Yeah.
- I hope this helps.
Yeah, thank you so much.
All right, so, um,
get copies of this to the chief of D's
and have them put it on
their social media feeds,
get it to the schools,
the news feeds.
You know the drill.
And then what? We hit the streets?
So Velasco, do you think
that this guy is from
the neighborhood?
The park and the high school
are pretty close to each other.
So if I had to take a guess,
that's why he went there.
It's risky to offend where he lives.
But he knows the streets.
And he knows the escape routes.
There haven't been
any rapes recently.
Only a few agg assaults.
Maybe the guy's escalating.
All right, so his hunting ground
is now your hunting ground.
I want you to take the lead on this.
Copy.
You're here because of that girl
that got raped at Highbridge Park?
You recognize that man?
Looks like garbage.
Yo, my man!
- Yo, Velasco.
- No.
Pick that up.
What's your problem?
What's my problem?
- You live here, right?
- Yeah.
Two teenagers were
attacked nearby you
So?
I don't talk to the police.
Uh-huh.
Are you telling me you don't care?
You believe this guy?
I should call it in for
littering just on principle!
That'll really help.
How are we ever
gonna arrest this guy
if nobody trusts us around here, huh?
It's a catch-22.
You have to earn their
trust by catching them,
but we can't catch them
until we have their trust.
So we're screwed, then?
How's that different
than any other day?
Does he look familiar?
Sorry, don't know him.
It's okay. Thanks for looking.
You gonna catch this guy or what?
We're doing our best.
Officers, can I grab
you guys a cup of coffee?
It's on the house.
Let me guess.
Closing up now?
How'd you know?
You were gonna dump
it down the drain anyway.
See, he's one of these
$7 cappuccino kind of guys.
But I could use a
free coffee right now.
- [RADIO CRACKLES]
- SVU portable.
34 in progress, 171 and Audubon.
That's two blocks away.
Let's go.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
- [TIRES SCREECH]
- Stop!
- NYPD!
- Yo! Hey!
[GRUNTING AND SHOUTING]
Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey!
- NYPD! Stop!
- Stop.
Yo, let go of me.
Velasco, you know this guy?
Yeah, he's my neighbor.
Yeah, we got you, punk.
We got you!
That's the sicko from the sketch.
He raped that girl.
I didn't rape anyone.
- Hey, we got him.
- Okay.
Resemblance is close enough. Cuff him.
You mean I got him.
- My head's bleeding.
- Get him to the ER.
Copy, Sarge.
- Are you gonna thank me or what?
- Not exactly.
- You're under arrest.
- Are you kidding me?
- For what?
- Assault.
Are you out of your mind?
♪
Okay. Copy that,
Chief.
Yes, I hear you.
So 1PP is being inundated with calls
from community activists
from
your neighborhood, Velasco.
What the hell did you do last night?
We arrested a group of vigilantes,
including my upstairs neighbor.
They thought they'd
caught the rapist.
Well, did they or didn't they?
Well, he's a damn
close match to the sketch.
The guy's name is Eddie Soto.
- And where is Soto now?
- Saint Mark's.
He's being treated for a concussion.
Velasco's neighbor got a little
carried away with the takedown.
And Silva and Bruno
are at the hospital
interrogating Soto now.
He does have a record, though.
Forcible touching. Two years ago.
Okay, so his DNA's in the system.
And where is, uh, Silva
with Anna's rape kit?
I'll tell her to call the lab again.
All right, and in the meantime,
as soon as Soto is released,
bring in Moses and Anna for a lineup.
Copy that, Captain.
Well, some neighbor you have.
Yeah, the guy's a nuisance.
He likes to blast his music,
he's some type of cop wannabe.
Uh-huh. And what did
they charge him with?
Assault two. He's
at Central Booking.
He'll be arraigned this afternoon.
Well, he seems to have deep ties
in your community, Velasco.
So, how well do you know him?
Other than his bad
taste in music,
- not at all.
- Well, I suggest
you get to know him
and what's going on
in your neighborhood
before I get another
call from the chief.
I told you I didn't do it.
You're not even gonna take my DNA?
We don't have to.
You're already in the system.
The forcible touching
charge from two years ago.
You remember that?
That arrest back then?
I was wasted.
What's your blood alcohol now?
I wasn't drinking.
Those clowns who beat
the hell out of me were.
Where
Where the hell are they?
Being processed.
When do I get to go home?
Not until we clear you.
And when we get the
results of the victim's rape kit
and put you in a lineup.
I'm telling you I didn't do it.
Then why don't you tell us where
you were at 7:00 a.m. yesterday?
Somewhere on my
commute home from work.
What do you do?
I'm a milling machine operator.
- At night?
- Yeah.
I worked a late shift doing
roadwork on the BQE.
Can anybody confirm that you
were on your way home at 7:00?
A girlfriend, a wife?
No.
I-I'm single.
When was the last time
you were in Highbridge Park?
Haven't been there in years.
So if we check your phone's GPS,
it's not gonna catch you in a lie?
No!
You have it.
Why don't you check already?
This guy look familiar?
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
You're telling me that you
don't see any resemblance
between him and you at all?
Yeah, kinda.
Then how do you explain that?
I'm not a rapist!
♪
Danny Rocha, on the
charges of assault in the second,
- how do you plead?
- Not guilty, Your Honor.
People on bail?
Given the brutal
nature of this crime,
people request remand.
Brutal?
Are you kidding me?
Your client, armed with a baton,
led a vigilante mob to beat a man
so seriously he needed
to be hospitalized.
I could charge him
with attempted murder.
My client restrained a suspect
accused of assaulting
two 17-year-olds.
Raped one of them.
That's brutality.
All right, enough.
Ms. Duffy, remand is an overreach.
But I'm setting bail at 10,000.
Next case.
Detective Velasco?
Angel Rocha.
Danny's grandfather. We live upstairs?
Yeah, I've seen you
around and in the elevator.
How can I help you?
You can help my grandson.
He broke the law, Mr. Rocha.
[CHUCKLES] He was trying to
do what he thought was right.
Apprehending a-a rape suspect.
The one problem
is that he's not a cop.
All right, so he might be
a little overzealous at time.
Does this mean he
deserve to sit in jail?
How am I supposed to afford to bail?
I don't have that kind of money.
That's what bondsmen are for.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
Is this about the music?
Excuse me?
Danny told me you
came up to our apartment
the other night, to complain about it.
Look, I'm sorry that
Danny kept you awake.
Huh?
But he doesn't deserve this.
Mr. Rocha, this has
nothing to do with music.
Okay?
But it is out of my hands.
But y-you're the
one who arrested him.
You could talk to the ADA.
You seem to know
a lot about police work.
I was on the job for 20 years.
Transit.
You know, Danny always
wanted to walk in my footsteps.
He wants to be a cop.
Not anymore.
Did he ever take the test?
Yes.
Never got called back.
Look, he's never been
in trouble like this before.
Please don't ruin his future.
Thank you both so
much for coming in.
I heard you caught the guy?
We'd just like your son to
take a look at a few people.
See if you recognize anyone.
How does this work, exactly?
Well, inside that
room, there'll be six men,
but they can't see you.
So if you recognize the
man who attacked you,
then you're gonna
identify him by his number.
Can we get started?
Take your time, Moses.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
Looks a lot like number two.
[KNOCKS ON WINDOW]
Number two, step forward.
Is that the man you remember?
It looks a lot like him.
But
Number two, remove your hat.
What, what?
What is it?
I'm not sure.
There's something off.
I'm sorry, I don't think it's him.
Um, similar skin tone,
but the guy I saw,
he looked more Asian.
More Asian?
Like I told you, he was
dark-skinned Chino-Latino.
- Moving on?
- Hold on a second. Are you
Moses, are you sure you don't
you don't need another minute?
You can take your time.
No, I don't need to.
It's not him.
♪
No.
None of them look like
the man that raped me.
Are you
Are you positive?
Not 100%.
Okay, so how about
you take your time?
We're not in any rush, okay?
♪
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.
[SIGHS SOFTLY] I saw his face.
It's not any of them.
Okay.
I need some time with my client.
What happens now?
She didn't ID him.
Does he just go free?
We're still waiting for the DNA.
And some other evidence.
But thank you both
so much for coming in.
Okay, I have
I have to call Carisi.
So so far, we have no real evidence
to tie Eddie Soto to this attack.
Just a sketch,
which isn't admissible.
And no corporeal ID.
Thank you.
And there's no DNA.
That was the lab, and
his rape kit came back.
It's not a match for Eddie.
So my pain-in-the-ass
neighbor is in jail
for going after the wrong guy.
So what's the move here, Liv?
Well, our hands are tied.
We have to void his arrest.
We're back to square
one. We have no suspects.
I'll, uh, notify the victims.
- Captain.
- You get anything from TARU?
Park footage they didn't
capture anything substantial.
What about the sketch?
So Moses said that he
may have been Asian.
Anything in the system?
Facial rec?
No hits.
We even cross-checked
it against Interpol.
Nothing there either.
Well, what about touch DNA?
From the lamp cord that
was recovered at the scene?
Lab's still working.
So you're telling
me we have nothing?
Captain, I gotta show you something.
- [OVERLAPPING SHOUTING]
- All right, what is this?
What are we looking at?
How come nobody
sings "Kumbaya" anymore?
I don't think this country
is ever gonna get back there.
We just need to get this
community on our side.
- How can I help?
- Well
Your neighborhood is on fire.
Figure out a way to
To put it out.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
So you heard Benson.
Yeah, I heard her.
She wants me to fix
whatever's going on
because she thinks
this is my neighborhood.
It is, isn't it?
No, not really.
Well, let me ask you this.
How long have you lived
in Washington Heights?
Four years.
It's not like I talk to anybody.
So you're telling me you moved here
all the way from
Juarez just so you could
avoid talking to your neighbors here?
Look, I moved to this neighborhood
'cause the rent was cheap, all right?
You plan on moving out soon?
No.
Well, then I suggest
you set up some roots here.
And how the hell am
I supposed to do that?
Well, that's on you, Velasco.
What I do know is, the
rapist is still out here.
And if you don't figure a way
to mobilize your own
neighborhood and catch this guy
before he attacks again,
Benson's gonna fire your ass.
So that guy we beat
up wasn't the rapist?
- Nope.
- But he does have a record.
The only thing we know for
sure is that he did not rape Anna.
He looked exactly like
the guy in the police sketch.
You guys must have messed that up.
Oh, it's our fault now?
Danny, Danny, take it easy.
So the real rapist
is still out there.
That's what you're telling me?
Pretty much, yeah.
And what are you doing about that?
What am I doing?
I'm here.
That's what I'm doing.
Now, do you wanna get
out of this place or not?
What do you think?
Couldn't sleep at all.
Sound familiar?
Yeah. What do you want?
Believe it or not,
I'm here to help you.
Now, how do you propose to do that?
- The ADA who arraigned you
- The woman who hates me?
She talks a tough game,
but I happen to know that she
does not wanna take this to trial.
My client's not pleading
guilty to assault two.
She agreed to reduce
the charge to assault three.
That's a misdemeanor, right?
Yeah.
You'll do community service.
She also agreed to release you,
ROR, and offer an ACD.
Adjournment in
contemplation of dismissal.
It's pretty good.
You know what else is good?
This deal.
Nothing on his record?
We'll take it.
Why are you doing this for me?
Because I think we
got off on the wrong foot.
Your grandfather told
me you took the cop test.
They never called me back.
Well, there might still be a way
you can help your community.
Because the real rapist
is still out there, okay?
And the people in this neighborhood,
the way they feel about us,
nobody wants to cooperate.
And those people
marching on the street,
they have your back.
They seem to trust you.
So what do you need from me?
I need your help.
[SOFT UPBEAT MUSIC]
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]
Good to see you again, Sergeant.
Nice to meet you, Danny.
Here's more of the flyers.
Thanks.
This is gonna help a lot.
Please keep a lookout.
The kid's good.
Hey, guys, I think I wanna
canvass a few blocks south.
What do you say?
Yeah, who's a good boy?
You see anyone who looks like him
or hear any rumors, let us know.
There's an anonymous tip line
in case you don't wanna
give out your name.
Spread the word.
[DOG PANTING]
How am I doing, Detective?
No complaints so far.
Wow.
First time since I met you.
All right, come on.
We still got a lot of ground to cover.
The tip line's ringing off the hook,
but so far, no solid leads.
Well, at least people are calling.
What about the canvass?
Well, the neighborhood's
finally getting
all kumbaya about it.
- [PHONE BUZZES]
- Well good, that means
what Velasco did is working.
A little forgiveness
can go a long way.
Okay.
Lab got back with touch
DNA on that lamp cord.
Other than the two vics,
the homeless guy,
- two males.
- Okay. They in the system?
One is.
Omar Aziz, 52.
Well, what's his record?
Doesn't have one.
But he's ex-military.
All right, but his DNA
is not on Anna's rape kit.
No, just the cord.
Right, so how do you explain that?
Says he's a manager
at a dollar store in
Washington Heights.
All right, so find out
if they sell lamp cords,
and see if he remembers
who they sold it to.
[SIGHS]
Yo.
NYPD.
- What's going on?
- We're looking for Omar Aziz.
My manager?
He's probably in
the back in his office.
Can I help you, officers?
- Omar Aziz.
- What's this about?
We're investigating an assault
on two teens in Highbridge
Park two days ago.
Yes, I heard about it.
Yo, your DNA was on a
lamp cord found at the scene.
It was used to tie up the vics.
I had nothing to do with it.
Hmm.
Well, maybe you know someone who did.
Do you sell lamp cords here?
I'll show you.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
That's it.
You sell any of these cords lately?
I'd have to check.
All right.
We'll wait.
And we need a list
of all your employees.
♪
So Omar Aziz is not our rapist.
What about his employees?
Most of the cashiers are women,
and the only two male
stock boys had alibis
and gave DNA samples.
But we did show Omar the sketch.
- And?
- He vaguely recalled
a guy looking like that buying
a lamp cord a week ago.
But the guy paid cash.
So no help there.
Any cameras?
Not inside the store.
There's a few across the
street that we're checking.
And there's no other reports
of anyone getting
assaulted with a lamp cord?
- Not that we can find.
- Okay.
Well, he could be
a first-time offender.
If he is, he found
his MO pretty quick.
We put a public safety
team outside all stores
that sell lamp cord in
the surrounding area.
And we haven't found one person
who recognizes the sketch?
No, but after what
happened to Eddie Soto,
I think people are just afraid
of pointing the finger
at the wrong guy.
So you know what?
We keep at it, we keep at it.
[NOTIFICATIONS CHIMING]
Attempted rape, 167th
Street and Riverside Drive.
Vic had a lamp cord
wrapped around her wrist.
Witnesses spotted the
perp running from the scene.
We all head up there.
I'm calling in support.
Not letting this guy get away again.
Chief.
Chief, I need a tactical patrol unit.
I have a rape suspect fleeing
on foot at 167 and Riverside.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Captain!
What do we got?
As you requested, we
formed a four-block perimeter
from 158 to 165th.
Okay.
You set up roadblocks on Broadway?
Checking everyone.
Cars, trucks.
We got unis, task force canvassing.
What about apprehension teams?
- Search teams?
- They're going door to door.
- Any update on the perp?
- Same.
Witness saw him run up Riverside
wearing a ripped shirt.
Great, okay.
Thank you, Captain.
And where's our vic?
Around the corner in the bus.
Okay, great.
- Are you all right, Velasco?
- Yeah, all good.
All right, guys, I'm gonna
go take the victim's statement.
Keep searching, find witnesses.
On it, Liv.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
Benson's got a full NYPD
platoon on the ground.
Yeah, she ain't playing.
Detective Velasco!
Danny, what are you doing here?
I want to help!
I'll meet you over there.
We got a full mobilization
down here already.
Okay?
We're good.
- Could have been me, you know.
- It still can.
- After failing the test
- You didn't fail.
You just didn't get called back.
- Can I at least help, though?
- No.
Not if it means that you gotta
spend another night in Rikers.
I won't do anything stupid,
- I promise
- Danny.
You've done enough.
But we didn't catch this guy yet.
You activated a whole community.
Somebody called in an attempted
rape because of what you did.
It's my neighborhood.
I grew up here.
I just don't want you to
get into any more trouble.
Okay?
♪
Okay, Lina, how are you holding up?
- I'm good.
- Yeah?
You up for a few questions?
Yeah, I wanna catch this guy.
Okay.
Um, can you describe him?
Under 6 feet,
somewhere in his 30s, and Filipino.
That's very helpful.
Um, can I show you something?
Yeah.
Okay.
Did he look like this?
Yeah, that was him.
Okay, very good.
So, Lina, tell me
Tell me what happened.
I was parking my Citi Bike, and
and he came up from
behind me and grabbed me,
and that's when I saw the box cutter.
Uh-huh.
And did he say anything?
He just said, "quiet,"
and, and he forced me
into the bushes, and
All right, take,
take your time.
It's okay.
And
And he threw me on the ground, and
He got on top of me
and he tried to tie my wrists
up with an electrical wire.
And then what happened?
Well, the box cutter, it scared me.
But the the cord, it
really freaked me out.
I get claustrophobic and I
was not gonna let him tie me up.
So I kicked him
hard right in the nuts.
Okay, good for you.
Good thinking.
I just
I ripped his shirt,
and I got out from under him
and I I ran the hell away.
All right, um.
Is there anything else
about him,
- any other detail you can
- Lina.
- [DOOR OPENS]
- Mama.
Baby.
- I'm okay, I'm okay.
- Sure.
Your daughter is tough.
I know.
I raised her to be.
Okay.
Wait. One more thing.
I think this guy might
have been born in April.
What makes you say that?
He had a tattoo of a ram,
like the Zodiac.
It was on his neck.
I saw it when I ripped his shirt.
Thank you, Lina.
That's, um, quite helpful.
You take care.
♪
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]
How is she?
She can ID him.
He has a tattoo.
It's an Aries symbol on his neck.
- I'll alert the team.
- Great.
Storm's gathering.
Certainly looks like it.
Yeah, it looks like the
retaliation committee.
We have to find this
guy before they do.
I have a report.
A group chasing a man
who fits the perp's
description near 164th.
That's three blocks away.
Let's move, let's move!
All right, follow me!
[SIREN WAILING]
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
They caught the rapist!
Don't let him get away!
- Get back, get back.
- Get back!
- Hey!
- Danny!
- NYPD!
- Danny, come on!
- Get back!
- Get the people back!
You heard the man!
Everybody get back!
- Get back!
- Get back!
- Back it up!
- Hey, don't do this!
Just let the police do their job!
You've done enough!
I don't know what
any of this is about.
No?
I've always heard
Aries were stubborn.
Cuff him.
And take him to the hospital.
♪
SVU captain to Central.
We got one under.
So we've confirmed that James Aquino
is the Highbridge Park rapist.
His DNA was a match
for the lamp cord found at
the scene and Anna's rape kit.
And he lives a block from the park.
We found another brand-new
lamp cord in his apartment.
And with Lina's ID of
both his face and his tattoo,
I think Carisi has enough to get him
on predatory sexual assault, rape,
and attempted rape in the first.
All right, so you two wanna
let Anna and Moses know?
- On it, Captain.
- Okay. Go, then.
Also, uh, all of you, take
take the rest of the night off.
- Sounds good.
- Yeah.
Before you clock out, uh, my office.
- Something wrong?
- Wrong?
Uh, no, Velasco, I
I called you in here, because I wanted
to pay you a compliment
about how you handled this case.
Oh.
Thanks.
You know, I'm still
digging into it, though.
How do you mean?
Well, I started checking
cold cases in the Bronx,
Brooklyn, Queens,
anything with a similar MO.
Okay, well, let me
know if you find anything.
It wasn't just me.
You know, the neighborhood
really came together.
Well, I can tell you why.
Two words.
[SOFT MUSIC]
Command presence.
You showed real leadership, Velasco.
- Thanks, Captain.
- Yeah.
Go home.
Get some sleep, will ya?
[SIGHS]
- I'll try.
- [CHUCKLES]
♪
Mr. Rocha?
Hey. Thanks for meeting me, mm?
Is everything okay with Danny?
Oh, yeah.
I just wanted to talk to you.
About?
What you did for him.
[CHUCKLES]
You're a stand-up guy.
Can I buy you a beer?
Sure.
Mr. Rocha, how you doing?
Hey, I want you to
meet my friend here.
I know you. You're that cop, right?
- Joe.
- Ah, nice to meet you.
- I'm Rudy.
- Can we get a table?
One of my regulars?
Anything.
Hector, get that table bussed.
[UPBEAT PUERTO RICAN MUSIC PLAYING]
Two beers.
You're off duty, right?
I am now.
Ah.
What?
You never been in here before?
No.
It's just around the
corner from our building.
Yeah, I work a lot.
Yeah, I remember those days.
You know, I might be
a little older than you,
but you and I, we're
not that different.
How so?
I wasn't born in New York.
I came from Puerto Rico.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
What, um
What made you choose
Washington Heights?
Uh, back then,
they didn't want people
like us below 96th Street.
Right.
♪
So what are we toasting to?
Being a cop.
[BOTTLES CLINK] Mm?
My career's over,
but yours is just beginning.
So is your reputation.
At least around here.
Yeah, I don't know about that.
Well, I do.
[CHUCKLES]
Trust me.
From now on,
people around here are
gonna remember your name.
♪
Mrs. Beltran, we caught the guy
and he's down at the station
being booked as we speak.
So, that's good news.
That's very good news.
And the man that we caught
tonight, Aquino, well, uh,
we confirmed that it's the same guy
who assaulted your daughter.
He also tried to rape
another girl earlier tonight.
She managed to get away.
She helped us ID him.
Is it over?
W-what happens now?
Will our kids have to testify?
There are no guarantees,
but, our ADA feels pretty confident
with all the evidence, Aquino
will probably take a plea.
We appreciate the
work you did, detectives.
Thank you.
Gotta admit, I'm kinda jealous.
Of what?
You know any of
your neighbors, Silva?
Nah, this is New York.
I thought we were supposed
to ignore our neighbors.
Yeah, I thought that too.
Well, maybe we should change that.
You first.
Let me know how that goes.
[ENGINE TURNS OVER]
Velasco.
Got your call.
You a'ight?
Yeah.
Just wanted to talk to
you about something.
- What is it? Liv?
- No, we're good.
Believe it or not, she actually
gave me a compliment.
She told me that I have
command presence.
Command presence, huh?
That means she thinks
you're a good cop.
Well, speaking of
which, Danny Rocha,
he wants to become one.
I was thinking maybe
we can help him out
by giving him some more
hands-on experience.
- We?
- Yeah.
You got a friend in the
Community Affair Bureau, right?
Yeah, the Auxiliary Police.
So, maybe you could
give him a call for me.
Well, you know what, Velasco?
Since you have command presence,
how 'bout I give you his
number and you make the call?
Doing okay here, Joe?
Yeah, we're good, brother.
Can I get you anything?
Beer's on the house.
On the house?
That's what I'm
talking about. Let's go.
They know you around here, huh?
What can I say?
This is my neighborhood.
[LOCK CLICKS]
[SIGHS]
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING UPSTAIRS]
♪
[POUNDING ON DOOR]
♪
Oh, sorry.
Is this about the music?
[CHUCKLING] No.
Wanted to give you something.
What's this?
Well, since you
didn't get a call back
after your police exam,
I found an NYPD
Auxiliary Police program.
Auxiliary, huh?
I know it's not the same, but
You get to ride around in a cop car
and help with
non-enforcement police issues
like crowd control and traffic.
Yeah, honestly, I don't
know anymore, man.
You never know.
This could lead to something else.
Plus, I already put in a call for you.
I got you assigned to a neighborhood
that could use somebody like you.
Which one?
This one.
Do I get to wear a uniform?
Yeah, you do.
So give me a call on that number
and I'll get you in touch
with the right guy, all right?
Oh, and Danny?
Huh?
Turn the music down.
♪