TikTok videos of women being punched in NYC lead to 2 arrests: NYPD

NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) -- Several women posted videos on TikTok detailing being punched in the head while walking in New York City this past week, leading to the arrests of two people connected to the alarming incidents, police said.

Halley Kate, an influencer with 1.1 million followers on TikTok, posted a video on Monday sharing how she was randomly assaulted. In the video, she explains how the punch caused her to fall to the ground, and a large bump is seen on her head.

The NYPD released a statement Wednesday night, relaying that investigators are "aware of a viral video" of a woman explaining she was randomly assaulted.

Kate's video sparked other women on TikTok to share their stories of being randomly attacked. Another TikToker, Mikayla Toninato, posted a video on the same day and tagged Kate while recounting a similar attack that 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.

Investigators told PIX11 News on Wednesday that Franz Juedy, 33, and Skiroky Stora, 40, have both been arrested and charged with assault in two punching attacks that occurred this week.

Dulce Pichardo while walking home from work on Tuesday at around 4:30 p.m. was punched in the head and face in Brooklyn, authorities said. The suspect, Juedy, allegedly hit the victim several times, and was restrained by the victim's relatives until police arrived, authorities report.

Another punching attack happened on Monday, authorities report. A woman was hit on the head and knocked to the ground walking down West 16th Street in Chelsea, police said. Investigators cuffed the suspect, Stora, who was allegedly walking his dog when he hit the victim.