Women on TikTok detail random punching attacks in NYC; videos lead to suspect’s arrest

NEW YORK CITY ( WPIX ) – A suspect has been arrested in connection with a series of attacks on women in New York City this past week.

Several of the victims detailed the alarming incidents on TikTok, saying they had been punched in the head while walking through the city.

Halley Kate, an influencer with 1.1 million followers on the video platform, recounted her experience immediately after the alleged assault on Monday.

“You guys, I was literally just walking and a man came up and punched me in the face. … It hurts so bad, I can’t even talk,” Kate said, nearly in tears, in a viral TikTok video.

“Literally I fell to the ground, and now this giant goose egg is forming,” she added, motioning toward what appeared to be a bump on her temple.

Another TikToker, Mikayla Toninato, posted a video the same day, recounting a similar attack that had just happened to her.

“I was looking down and I was looking at my phone, and like texting, and then, out of nowhere, this man just came up and hit me in the face,” she said in the video.

On Wednesday night, a victim identified as Sarah Harvard appeared as a guest on NewsNation, claiming that a man matching the suspect’s description was spotted near the Parsons’ School of Fashion in New York. Harvard also claimed Toninato identified that same suspect as her attacker.

The NYPD released a statement Wednesday night, relaying that investigators were “aware” of a viral video detailing “an unprovoked attack” on one of the victims. They also said a suspect, described as a “criminal recidivist with an extensive criminal record,” had been apprehended.

Investigators arrested and charged Skiroky Stora, 40, in connection to the incident, according to the NYPD. Police say the suspect was walking a dog when he allegedly hit Kate on the head in the city’s Chelsea neighborhood. Kate had mentioned the same thing in a follow-up video posted Monday afternoon.

Authorities also said Stora has been accused of attacking other women in the past.

“Your NYPD detectives were able to identify the man after he was previously arrested for similar attacks, only to be released back onto our streets. This incident will be his third arrest in the past six months. Your officers will continue to remain resilient in their efforts to stop violent criminals, ensuring the safety of our communities.”

NYPD’s statement posted to X

Authorities also arrested Franz Juedy, 33, in a separate unprovoked punching attack on Thursday.

Juedy is accused of punching a victim who was walking home from work in Brooklyn on Tuesday afternoon. Juedy allegedly punched her in the head and face before he was restrained by the victim’s relatives until police arrived, authorities reported.

It does not appear that the suspects’ incidents are related.

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