A scraggly- hairy threat with a jaunty pace arbitrarily punched a 23- yr- old woman in the face , amid concerns by Tik Tok users that women are being assaulted by strangers , on New York City streets, officials said Wednesday.
Cops released a surveillance photo of the suspect , wanted for the March 20 Chelsea attack , that left a 23- year- older lady with an damaged nose.
The target claimed to police that the person punched her in the face in the early hours of 10 a.m. as she was passing a McDonald’s on Sixth Ave. near W. 14th St.
The man, who was dressed in a white top and a denim jacket, was filmed by a nearby surveillance camera as he jogged along slowly along an oddly cheery gate, according to surveillance footage from the NYPD. Officers are requesting public assistance in locating and finding the suspect.
The woman was taken to Lenox Health Greenwich Village where she received treatment for a slight scar before being released.
It was n’t immediately clear if the man was inspired by the , surge of random unprovoked attacks  , in Manhattan outlined on Tik Tok over the past two weeks.
In separate occurrences that were the subject of recent TikTok video in which the survivors claimed they were punched by outsiders, two people were charged last year.
According to police, there have been at least four other similar attacks on city streets, which have caused concerned women to take extra precautions outside.
” I definitely do n’t go out at night. Past 8 p. m., I’m in my house unless I’m with somebody else”, said Christina Burke, 28, of Sunnyside, Queens, who now drives instead of taking subways.
” I was scared, because they’re hitting random people. So you do n’t even know if it’s a specific type of person they’re looking for”.
On March 27, cops arrested political gadfly Skiboky Stora, who they say assaulted TikTok influencer , Halley Kate Mcgookin , near W. 16th St. and Seventh Ave. in Chelsea at 10: 20 a. m. March 25.
Police detained Mallik Miah the following day and charged him with assaulting TikToker Mikayla Toninato on Monday in Greenwich Village.
Toninato was near Fifth Ave. and E. 12th St. when Miah allegedly struck her about 2 p. m. March 25, said police. According to a criminal complaint, Miah, 30, identified himself in a still image taken from surveillance footage of the attack. Toninato , posted a video , to the social media platform right after being punched by Miah.
A flurry of other random assaults on women in Manhattan have been covered by TikTok, some of which have been reported.
On March 17 at 11: 48 a. m. on Kenmare and Mulberry Sts., TikToker Olivia Brand, 25, was struck by a man who initially apologized to her, she said.
” He goes’ sorry’ and punches me in the head”, said Brand on a , video she posted afterwards. ” What the hell is happening”?
A 36- year- old woman was punched in the back on March 25 at 10: 15 a. m. while walking on Rivington and Chrystie Sts. in the Lower East Side, cops said.
On March 26, at noon, a 24- year- old woman was attacked by a man , who slammed the left side of her head with his elbow , while she walked on Seventh Ave. near W. 39th St., according to police.
Also on Tuesday, a 24- year- old woman was hit in the head by a stranger in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, police said Friday.
The victim was walking along Sixth Ave. near W. 23rd St. about 12: 45 p. m. when the stranger stormed up and punched her in the head, then ran off without saying a word, cops said.
The woman was n’t seriously hurts. After searching the area, cops discovered surveillance footage of the attacker, who was sporting a hooded sweatshirt and a black bubble jacket.
Crime Stoppers are requesting information from anyone with information about the Chelsea attack or any other unprovoked assaults by dialing ( 800 ) 577- TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
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