Teen girl sexually assaulted in Kissena Park

FLUSHING, Queens (WABC) -- The sign at Kissena Corridor Park says it closes at 9 p.m., but no one ever closes the gates so it's easy to just walk right in for anyone.

Wednesday night, a 17-year-old girl walked in and was sexually assaulted at knifepoint.

Police were at the park all day Thursday interviewing people and just establishing a presence after the sexual assault Wednesday night at about 11:30.

"That's scary, it's so unsafe, you feel so unsafe," a parkgoer said.

During the day, Kissena Park is an oasis for kids and dogs and the people who care about them.

Thursday, police rolled into that quiet family scene and set up crime scene tape and searched for evidence.

People were horrified by what happened, but not surprised that it happened at that time of night.

They know what happens there after dark.

"There's usually a lot of guys here that are drinking, they're drunk, and they sometimes come and they bother the dogs," a parkgoer said.

"Should the police come through and clean this place up?" Eyewitness News Reporter Jim Dolan said.

"They do come through, they do come through, they chase them away, but then they just come right back, so it's tough," she said.

"Would you come here at 11 o'clock?" Dolan asked a woman.

"Absolutely not," she said. "The latest I would come here is 8 o'clock."

"That's the end of the night," Dolan said.

"Yes, because the vegetation is so high, you don't see anybody sneaking behind you," she said.

So far, there are no arrests.

The victim's injuries are not considered life threatening.