AT LEAST ONE ARREST AS
QUESTIONS MOUNT ABOUT WHETHER
THESE CASES COULD ALL BE
LINKED.
STEVEN ROMO HAS THIS STORY.
>> I WAS LITERALLY JUST WALKING
AND A MAN CAME UP AND PUNCHED
ME IN THE FACE.
>> STORIES FROM NEW YORK CITY
WOMEN GOING VIRAL ON TO TALK.
>> I GOT PUNCHED BY SOME MAN.
>> VIDEOS DETAILING WITH HOW
THEY ARE ALLEGEDLY GETTING
PUNCHED IN THE FACE COMPLETELY
UNPROVOKED.
SEVERAL WOMEN HAVE POSTED VIDEOS DESCRIBING SIMILAR ALLEGATIONS
IN JUST THE LAST WEEK.
AN ASSAULT ON MONDAY WAS POSTED
ABOUT AND SAYING SHE HAD TO BE
TREATED AT A LOCAL MEDICAL
FACILITY FOR INJURIES TO THE
LEFT SIDE OF HER FACE.
>> OH MY GOD, IT HURTS SO BAD.
>> OLIVIA POSTING UPDATES ON
HER OWN EXPERIENCE AFTER
COMMENTERS ON TIK TOK STARTED
CONNECTING THE TWO CASES.
>> I DID JUST GET A CALL FROM
THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE.
>> THE NYPD AYS IT IS
INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT BUT
SAYS IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THEY ARE CONNECTED.
POLICE ANNOUNCED ONE ARREST, A
40-YEAR-OLD TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.
OTHER USERS POSTING VIDEOS
EXPRESSING SHOCK, FEAR, AND
SHARING TIPS FOR STAYING SAFE
LIKE NOT BEING DISTRACTED ON
YOUR PHONE WHILE YOU ARE OUT
AND ABOUT. IT’S NOT THE FIRST
TIME THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT HAS
BEEN REPORTED IN THE CITY.
>> WHEN VIDEOS LIKE THAT FOR
STARTED POPPING UP PEOPLE SENSE
THEN TO ME AND COMMENTED AND
SAYING LOOK, THIS GIRL WENT
THROUGH SOMETHING SIMILAR.
>> WAGNER SAYS SHE WAS PUNCHED
IN THE FACE BY SOME AND SHE
DIDN’T KNOW LAST NUMBER.
>> SO WE WERE KIND OF WALKING
TOWARD EACH OTHER AND HE DIDN’T
SEEM CRAZY OR SCARY OR ANYTHIN
, AND THE BEFORE I KNEW IT, HE
KIND OF WENT AT ME DIAGONALLY
AND PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE.
>> NYPD DATA FROM LAST MONTH
SHOWS CRIMES ARE DOWN IN THE
CITY COMPARED TO LAST YEAR
INCLUDING SHOOTINGS, BURGLARIES
AND MURDEROUS BUT FELONY
ASSAULTS ARE UP. BROKEN DOWN BY
WEEK, MISDEMEANOR ASSAULTS ARE
UP 10% COMPARED TO THE SAME
PERIOD LAST YEAR.
>> HOWEVER, THIS DATA IS NOT
BROKEN DOWN BY GENDER AND SOME
WOMEN WHO CARRY A SELF-DEFENSE
KIT SAYING IN LIGHT OF RECENT
ATTACKS, THEY DON’T FEEL SAFER.
>> I LOVE NEW YORK BUT AS A
WOMAN IT’S VERY SCARY SO I KIND
OF FEEL SAFER CARRYING
SOMETHING WITH ME TO DEFEND
MYSELF.
THAT WAY IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN I
AM NOT COMPLETELY DEFENSELESS.
>> STEVEN ROMO JOINS US.
SOMETHING NOW ABOUT THAT SELF-
DEFENSE KIT. WHAT ELSE ARE WE
HEARING ABOUT THIS ONE SUSPECT
IN CUSTODY TONIGHT?
>> WE’VE LEARNED QUITE A BIT
ABOUT HIM.
HE IS A BIT OF A FRINGE
POLITICAL FIGURE AND RAN FOR
MAYOR BACK IN 2021 AND HE HAS
NOW BEEN CHARGED WITH THIS
ASSAULT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO
POINT OUT THAT POLICE HAVE NOT
IDENTIFIED HIM AS A SUSPECT. WE
DID TRY TO REACH HIM AND A