Several women have taken to TikTok to share their experiences of being punched in the face by strangers on the streets of New York City. Halley Kate, a TikTok influencer with 1.2 million followers, posted a video showing a visible bump on her forehead and recounting how she was attacked and punched to the ground by a stranger.

“You guys, I was literally just walking, and a man came up and punched me in the face,” she said through tears.

Another woman, Mikayla Toninato, shared a similar story, saying she was punched in the face while looking at her phone and sending a text message. She described the assailant as a tall, dreadlocked black male who appeared to be homeless.

The NYPD has confirmed the stories of Kate and another woman, Olivia Brand, according to the New York Post. This disturbing trend is not new to the streets of New York, with similar incidents reported in 2021 and 2018.

“I don’t know if he punched me or if he elbowed me. I literally passed out, so I don’t really remember,” Kate said in a second video sharing more details of the attack. “But I think he was just really mad that my head was down, so he decided to body-check me and let me know to be conscious of my surroundings… And then I fell to the ground, and I blacked out for a second, but then I woke up, and he was screaming at me, like really screaming at me, and I was just like scared, so I literally ran away.”

The attacks have left the women shaken and concerned for their safety. “I was literally like leaving class, I turned the corner, and 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,” Toninato said.

The NYPD is investigating the incidents, and women are being warned to be aware of their surroundings and keep their heads up while walking on the streets of New York City.

The incidents come as New York City grapples with a rash of violent crimes on its streets, as liberal prosecutors and bail reform laws keep dangerous criminals on the streets. On Tuesday, it was reported that there were three stabbing incidents and a deadly shove onto subway tracks in the city in just a single day.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)