A Manhattan judge on Tuesday found 40-year-old Skiboky Stora guilty of a series of Manhattan street attacks and stalking offenses that prosecutors charged as hate crimes, closing a case that played out both in court and on social media. The confrontations stretched across Chelsea and Union Square, and Stora is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14, 2026.
According to the New York Daily News, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Josh Hanshaft convicted Stora on charges that include assault, stalking and aggravated harassment as hate crimes. Prosecutors told the court they tied multiple incidents to Stora and argued that victims were singled out because of their perceived gender, race or religion, describing the case as a pattern of hate-motivated incidents rather than random dustups.
Viral video and testimony
One of the most high-profile moments in the case was a March 25, 2024 TikTok by influencer Halley Kate McGookin, who showed a large bump on her head after she said she was struck while walking in Chelsea. At trial, McGookin testified that she still has sensitivity where she was hit, and prosecutors used her video and witness statements to link that confrontation to others, as reported by People. Her clip, which raced around social feeds, helped prompt other people to come forward with reports of similar encounters in the same area.
Pattern of harassment across neighborhoods
Prosecutors say the behavior stretches back to fall 2023 and includes a Sept. 20, 2023 incident in which a 17-year-old was elbowed, along with an Oct. 26 encounter where a 37-year-old was shoved in Chelsea, according to the Times of Israel. That outlet also reports a Nov. 18, 2023 episode near Union Square in which Stora allegedly tore down posters of kidnapped Israeli hostages, then followed a couple while shouting antisemitic slurs. Prosecutors argued that taken together, those incidents show an escalating pattern that justified hate-crime enhancements.
Charges and what comes next
Stora was arrested two days after the March 25 incident and later indicted on charges that included third-degree assault as a hate crime, third-degree stalking as a hate crime and aggravated harassment, according to the Associated Press. The trial concluded this week with the guilty verdict, and the New York Daily News reports that Stora is due back in court for sentencing on April 14, 2026. Prosecutors said the hate-crime labels reflect their view that the attacks were aimed at people for who they are, not because of any prior dispute.
About the defendant
Stora, a Brooklyn resident who has mounted fringe campaigns for local office, at times represented himself during the proceedings and occasionally interrupted questioning from the defense table, People reported. He has denied the charges and told reporters outside the courthouse that authorities lacked probable cause and that the prosecutions were politically motivated.
Victims' advocates have welcomed the verdict as a sign that prosecutors are willing to use bias-motivated statutes to hold attackers accountable, while civil-liberties groups continue to emphasize the need for careful use of hate-crime laws. The Manhattan DA's office did not immediately offer any additional statement beyond what has already been reported in coverage of the conviction.
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