In the latest incident of unprovoked attacks targeting women in New York City, a 26-year-old woman was randomly assaulted with a hockey stick on a Manhattan street last Tuesday. The incident occurred on East 6th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A in the East Village around 10:30 p.m., according to the police.
The assailant, described as a madman, approached the victim without warning and struck her leg with the hockey stick. Paramedics treated the woman at the scene, while the attacker fled and remains at large. The NYPD provided a description of the suspect, who was last seen wearing a black jacket, a light-colored hoodie, light-colored pants, and multi-color sneakers.
This assault follows a series of similar incidents where women have reported being randomly punched in the face by male strangers while walking in New York City. Most of these unprovoked attacks, which primarily targeted women in their 20s, occurred in Manhattan. Several victims shared their traumatic experiences on social media platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram, leading to more victims coming forward and sharing similar stories.
Although two men have been arrested for separate attacks, the police believe that different suspects are responsible for each assault, despite the similarities between them. One victim, Stephanie Weng, a 33-year-old marketing professional from FiDi, expressed her concerns about the safety of the community, particularly knowing that her attacker is still at large. Weng described the incident as intentional and deeply traumatizing.
The NYPD is urging anyone who recognizes the suspect involved in the hockey stick assault to contact its Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
