Influencer and author Kindra Hall was the victim of a random street assault while walking to work on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. On May 14, a man approached Hall without warning and struck her in the head, knocking her off balance and nearly into the street. The attacker was later identified as 43-year-old Yao Reed.
Surveillance footage captured the unprovoked punch, and Hall later recorded Reed taunting her from a distance. She immediately contacted the NYPD but said it took over 30 minutes for officers to arrive. According to Hall, officers initially hesitated to take action despite having access to video evidence.
It was only after she mentioned feeling disoriented that police agreed to check the address Reed had yelled during the attack. They found and arrested him shortly after. Reed is now facing third-degree assault charges.
Hall, who shared her experience publicly, expressed frustration over what she described as an apathetic response to rising street violence. She acknowledged being fortunate that her injuries weren’t worse but criticized the delay in addressing a violent incident she believes could have ended much differently.