New York City, NY – A man who targeted random women in a series of unprovoked attacks across the Big Apple has been apprehended by police. Daquan Armstead, 31, was taken into custody and charged with third-degree assault and harassment in connection with eight assaults on women throughout the year.
The violent spree began in February when Armstead allegedly punched a 30-year-old woman on Elizabeth Street without warning. The attacks continued, with victims ranging from a 24-year-old woman on Stanton Street to a 44-year-old woman on Delancey Street. The incidents culminated in an assault on a 27-year-old New York University administrator at Washington Square Park in April, prompting investigation by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force.
Records show that Armstead has a history of criminal behavior dating back to a 2021 misdemeanor assault case. While he is facing charges for the recent attacks, police are also probing other assaults on women that have not been linked to Armstead.
In another recent attack, a 57-year-old Brooklyn school bus aide was brutally assaulted, resulting in a broken jaw and several lost teeth. Franz Jeudy, 33, with a history of mental illness, has been charged in that case. Additionally, a 23-year-old woman was punched outside a Union Square McDonald’s last month, and influencer Halley Kate, with over 1.1 million TikTok followers, revealed that she was assaulted to the point of losing consciousness.
Armstead is expected to be arraigned on the new charges, as law enforcement continues to investigate and address the disturbing trend of assaults on women in the city. The apprehension of Armstead brings a sense of relief to the community, but the impact of these random attacks on the victims remains significant.