NYC's 'serial puncher' Skiboky Stora convicted in hate crime trial
Random punching suspect in court
A man accused in sucker punch attacks is back on the street after appearing before a judge and making bail Tuesday. FOX 5 NY?s Lisa Evers spoke to him and has the details.
NEW YORK - The man accused of carrying out a string of random punch attacks in New York City has been convicted in a separate series of hate crime attacks, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced.
What we know:
As FOX 5 NY previously reported, multiple women came forward in 2024 claiming they were randomly punched in the face while walking in neighborhoods including Chelsea and Union Square.
The allegations gained widespread attention after TikToker Halley Kate shared a video detailing how a stranger allegedly struck her without warning, prompting other women to post similar stories on social media.
The backstory:
Police arrested Skiboky Stora, 42, in connection with several of those incidents. Prosecutors said the attacks followed a disturbing pattern of targeting strangers in public.
Who is Skiboky Stora?
Stora has built a notable online presence, posting videos in which he taunted critics and referred to himself as the "grandson of Marcus Garvey."
Police said he has been arrested multiple times in New York City and previously faced multiple counts of assault and harassment.
Ballot records show that someone with the same name ran for New York City Council in District 9 but was disqualified from the Nov. 7, 2023 general election. The Post reported that he also ran for mayor and governor in recent years.
On social media, Stora posted several videos urging followers to vote for him in an upcoming New York gubernatorial primary, while also sharing content that appeared to allude to violence.
Hate crime charges
On Wednesday, a judge convicted Stora following of multiple hate crime charges.
The judge found Stora guilty of:
- Two counts of Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate Crime
- One count of Stalking in the Third Degree as a Hate Crime
- One count of Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree
- One count of Attempted Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate Crime
Woman punched in NYC: Who is the alleged serial puncher?
Police arrested 40-year-old Skiboky Stora who they say has an extensive rap sheet and was previously arrested for similar attacks.
"A judge has convicted Skiboky Stora for a disturbing series of bias-driven attacks on unsuspecting New Yorkers," Bragg said in a statement. "The victims were met with both violence and harassment simply because of who they are. Hate crimes strike at the core of our city’s values and sense of safety."
Prosecutors said the incidents presented at trial included several unprovoked attacks in 2023 and 2024.
Alleged NYC serial puncher says he's running for office
Skiboky Stora has been accused of assaulting and harassing strangers in a series of incidents throughout New York City
Several attacks
Alleged NYC serial puncher, says he's running for office
Skiboky Stora was arraigned in court Tuesday for allegedly assaulting and harassing strangers in a series of four incidents throughout Manhattan, according to the DA.
Timeline:
According to court documents and testimony at trial, Stora carried out several unprovoked attacks in Manhattan.
In one incident in Sept. 2023, prosecutors said he elbowed a 17-year-old student in the neck in Chelsea and made a hostile remark about "you people."
In another case the following month, authorities said he elbowed a 37-year-old woman in the shoulder in the same neighborhood, causing bruising.
Court records also show that in Nov. 2023, he followed a white Jewish couple in Union Square after they saw him tearing down posters of kidnapped Israeli hostages, allegedly shouting anti-white and antisemitic slurs and following them into a residential building lobby.
In March 2024, prosecutors said he struck a 23-year-old woman in the head in Chelsea, causing her to fall and suffer swelling and pain.
The conviction stems from those bias-related attacks.
Authorities have previously linked Stora to the broader pattern of alleged random assaults that sparked viral attention online.
The case was prosecuted by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office Hate Crimes Unit.
What we don't know:
Sentencing has not yet been announced.
The Source: This report is based on information from the DA's office and previous FOX 5 NY reporting.