Former “Real Housewives Of New York” star Bethenny Frankel posted a message to social media on Tuesday indicating that she had been a victim of the New York City punching epidemic.
The reality television star and entrepreneur deleted the message shortly after posting it, according to Page Six.
In the post, Frankel said she was randomly attacked, seemingly before realizing someone in the area was targeting women by punching them without reason or warning.
Frankel shared her story in response to a TikTok video posted Tuesday by fashion design student Mikayla Toninato, in which Toninato recounted her own experience of being punched in Manhattan.
“This is insane bc this happened to me a few months ago but I was embarrassed to say,” Frankel commented, according to Page Six.
Bethenny Frankel attends the 2018 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Pier 94 on November 8, 2018 in New York City. Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
The reality television star went on to explain what happened to her.
“I was on the [Upper West Side]. Insane. I was taking video of a bakery,” Frankel wrote, according to Page Six.
Bethenny Frankel attends Z100’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2021at Madison Square Garden on December 10, 2021 in New York City. Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images
Shortly after, Frankel deleted the message.
Frankle is not the first celebrity to fall victim to this pattern of assults. Influencer Halley Kate took to TikTok on Monday, visibly shaken and displaying a huge bump on her forehead.
“You guys, I was literally just walking, and a man came up and punched me in the face,” she said as she fought back tears. “Oh my God, it’s so bad. I can’t even talk.”
this is so nuts there are a bunch of women getting punched in the face in nyc rn all over tiktok. i don’t know if it’s all the same guy some of the stories seem slightly different but some of them seem similar pic.twitter.com/2rE7iEudCH
— youngmi mayer (@ymmayer) March 26, 2024
“Literally I fell to the ground, and now this giant goose-egg is forming, and I’m like, oh – my – God,” Kate continued as she broke down on camera.
The New York City Police Department issued a statement Wednesday indicating that they had arrested the man responsible for the attacks and that he was known to police and had prior criminal history. (RELATED: Political Candidate Arrested For Allegedly Punching TikToker In Face, Police Say)
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) March 28, 2024
It’s not clear why Frankel removed her comment, or whether she sustained any injuries during the alleged assault.