Woman reports being randomly attacked while walking in Chicago, mirroring disturbing trend in New York
CHICAGO (CBS) -- What some are calling a dangerous trend reported among several women in New York City could also now be happening in Chicago.
Several women have reported being physically assaulted while simply walking down the street minding their own business. One woman reported being a victim of such an attack while walking near State Street and Chicago Avenue on the Near North Side this past Saturday evening.
The intersection is a busy one, with a high-traffic Red Line stop beneath it. CBS 2 went from business to business asking people if they had seen or heard anything when the attack happened; none had.
But one woman said she witnessed the attack firsthand and took to social media to send a warning.
In New York City, there has been a pattern of random attacks on women in recent weeks. Just within a period of three days last week, several women were punched in the head in random attacks in the busy Manhattan districts of Chinatown, the West Village, Cheslea, and Midtown, CBS New York reported.
The attacks have been happening in broad daylight for no apparent reason, and have left the victims with black eyes and swelling.
One woman, Halley Kate, posted a video about being attacked in New York that went viral on TikTok, garnering tens of millions of views. Several other women have similarly posted TikTok videos documenting being attacked out of the blue in New York.
"I literally just got punched by some man on the sidewalk. He goes 'Sorry,' and then punches me in the head," Olivia Brand said in a video posted on TikTok on March 17.
A man has been arrested and charged in the attack on Kate, 23, and sources told CBS New York he is a suspect in several other such attacks. But the attacks have not stopped. CBS New York reported last week that it appears there may be multiple people behind the attacks, and they do not seem to be connected.
And now in Chicago, a woman claims to have witnessed a similar assault.
"OK, this is a PSA for all the girls in Chicago," the woman, Emily Ruth, said on TikTok. "I was just walking my dog in the Gold Coast/River North area, and as I got up to my building, a woman ran up so terrified because a man had just punched her in the face. And then he darted west down Chestnut [Street]. He threw her phone, her nose was bruised, she was bleeding a little bit. So scared. We called the police."
Chicago police confirmed to CBS 2 that a 52-year-old woman was walking near State Street and Chicago Avenue Saturday evening when a man hit her in the face.
He then picked up the belongings the woman dropped and threw them across the street, police said, before taking off.
It is unclear what the motive was behind the attack. But the apparent witness took to social media to send out a warning.
"That is just so scary. That's happening both in New York and here now," Emily Ruth said in the TikTok video. "So everyone, just be extra-aware out there and stay safe."
The victim who was hit in Chicago refused medical attention.
Police said they are investigating the case, and there were no arrests as of late Thursday.