NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A second man has been arrested for randomly punching a woman on the streets of Manhattan—after another man was arrested earlier this week, and as cops continue to search for a third suspect.
Women have been taking to TikTok in recent days to share stories of being randomly attacked by men in Manhattan.
The suspect being sought is believed to have sucker punched a woman on a Chelsea street earlier this week. The NYPD released an image of him Friday.
The 24-year-old victim was standing at the corner of West 23rd Street and Sixth Avenue shortly before 12:45 p.m. Tuesday when she was assaulted.
According to police, a man suddenly punched her in the head with a closed fist, an attack that was entirely unprovoked.
The suspect, who's believed to be about 35 years old, fled the scene, but not before the victim apparently snapped the photo of him. The victim suffered pain to her head. She declined further medical attention at the scene.
The search for the suspect comes after several videos went viral on social media of women describing being suddenly hit by a stranger on Manhattan streets in recent weeks.
Police said Friday that they'd arrested Mallik Miha, 30, on Thursday at around 3:30 p.m. for a different assault that occurred earlier in the week.
On Monday, in front of 65 Fifth Ave. in Union Square, a 27-year-old victim was punched in the eye. Allegedly, Miha, of Brooklyn, was the culprit.
Miha’s arrest comes after the Wednesday arrest of Skiboky Stora, 40, who was arrested for a separate assault that happened on Monday at about 10:30 a.m.
According to the criminal complaint, Stora was walking his dog at West 16th Street and Seventh Avenue when he allegedly used his elbow to hit a 23-year-old woman in the face who was also walking her dog, knocking her to the ground.
Stora is being held on $10,000 bail for a misdemeanor assault charge.
Police said that Stora was arrested last year for two previous, similar incidents, both in lower Manhattan.
The first assault occurred on Sept. 20, when he allegedly struck a 17-year-old walking to school in the neck with his left arm.
The second assault was just over a month later, on Oct. 27, when he allegedly used his elbow to hit a 37-year-old woman walking to work.
In both of these incidents, Stora was walking his dog.
He was charged with assault 3 in both crimes.