Authorities are investigating a string of unprovoked attacks against women on the streets of New York in a concerning trend going viral on social media.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrest of 40-year-old Brooklyn resident Skiboky Stora on Wednesday in connection to one of the alleged attacks in Manhattan earlier this week.
The victim, a 23-year-old social media influencer known as Halley Kate, shared details of the assault with her more than one million followers in a now-viral TikTok video.
“You guys, I was literally just walking, and a man came up and punched me in the face. “Oh my God, it’s so bad. I can’t even talk,” she said.
The victim was walking in the vicinity of West 16th Street and 7th Avenue in the Chelsea neighborhood when the assault happened.
“The NYPD is aware of a viral video circulating on social media depicting a woman who was randomly assaulted in an unprovoked attack. The individual has been arrested and charged and is a criminal recidivist with an extensive criminal record. Your NYPD detectives were able to identify the man after he was previously arrested for similar attacks, only to be released back on our streets. This incident will be his third arrest in the past six months,” according to a police statement.
NYC Department of Corrections online records show the Jamaican-born suspect was booked on misdemeanor assault. He was listed as six feet, three inches tall and 160 pounds.
In a follow-up video, the social media influencer showed her followers a large bump on her face and referred to it as “a devil horn.” She also revealed that she blacked out from the punch and then woke up to the man screaming at her. She also said that the man may have been upset because she was looking down at her phone and wanted to send her a signal to pay attention to her surroundings.
In a separate incident, New York resident Mikayla Toninato said she was also the victim of a random and unprovoked assault and suggested it may be a concerning trend in New York.
“I guess if you’re in New York right now and you’re walking while looking at your phone, maybe don’t do that. Maybe head on a swivel. I guess we’re going to be super aware of our surroundings,” she told her followers.
Her TikTok video, which shows a bruise under one of her eyes, prompted several other women to come forward and share their experiences with random attacks in the streets of New York City. This includes “Real Housewives” star Bethenny Frankel, who commented on her video.
“This is insane [because] this happened to me a few months ago but I was embarrassed to say. I was on the [Upper West Side]. Insane. I was taking video of a bakery,” Ms. Frankel wrote.
She did not detail the extent of her injuries in the now-deleted comment.
It remains unclear exactly how many women have been attacked and whether the incidents are connected. But the unprovoked assaults have triggered major concerns about the possible return of the viral challenge from several years ago called the “knockout game.” The trend dared young people to sucker-punch a stranger on social media.
“Your officers will continue to remain resilient in their efforts to stop violent criminals, ensuring the safety of our communities,” said the NYPD in a statement.
The suspect in Monday’s assault is set to appear before a judge on April 2 in Manhattan Criminal Court. It is unclear if he is a suspect in any other incidents.
