Influencer Niky Sal, a self-described 'child predator hunter', is facing criminal charges for a 2025 stabbing incident at Tim Hortons during an undercover sting operation.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleInternet influencer Nicholas Attalla, better known online as ‘Niky Sal,’ is facing criminal charges months after he was stabbed during a confrontation at a Tim Hortons in Jamestown, New York. Attalla, who describes himself online as a “child predator hunter,” was attempting to confront a man he believed was trying to meet a minor when the situation allegedly turned violent.
The December 2025 incident has now taken a dramatic turn, with Attalla and two other men facing charges connected to the confrontation.
According to Jamestown police, Attalla turned himself in on September 4, 2026, and was charged with three counts of criminal acts: Third-degree assault, second-degree criminal nuisance, and endangering the welfare of a child. The charges stem from the December 13, 2025, confrontation at a Tim Hortons on South Main Street in Jamestown. Attalla allegedly confronted James Morris, 43, and Eric Spencer, 42, after he believed Morris was attempting to meet a 14-year-old girl.
Police said Attalla threatened Morris based “solely off the phone conversation and his voice.” The encounter quickly escalated into a physical altercation, and Attalla suffered a large laceration to his arm. He was hospitalized soon after.
Reports reveal that Morris had previously been charged in January 2026 with first-degree assault, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the 2025 stabbing. In addition to his earlier charges, police have now charged Morris with second-degree criminal nuisance and endangering the welfare of a child. Spencer is also facing second-degree criminal nuisance and endangering the welfare of a child, according to police.
Attalla’s injury reportedly required surgery. A GoFundMe was established after the incident, where he said he had been stabbed during a “catch” and claimed he temporarily had no feeling in his arm. The fundraiser was created to raise USD 20K for his medical bills.
Adding to the grim incident, police revealed that the fight spilled into an area where a 1-year-old child and the child’s family were present. That development has led to the child-endangerment allegations against all three people involved.
The investigation also revealed no prior contact between Attalla, Morris and Spencer, as investigators found no such records. The finding is significant because Attalla allegedly confronted Morris because he believed the man’s voice matched the person he had been communicating with online.
Police have not indicated that the charges against Attalla establish that he knowingly targeted an innocent person. The criminal case will determine the allegations against him, and he remains entitled to be seen as innocent until the court's verdict.
Nicholas 'Niky' Attalla has built a sizable online following through his social media, where he goes by Niky Sal. He is famous for documenting his alleged attempts to identify and confront people he believes are targeting minors. His social media profile describes the page as being intended to raise awareness about online child predators, and he has referred to himself as a "child predator hunter."
Niky has around 50K followers on Facebook where he documents his alleged sting operations. That very online persona has now placed an unexpected spotlight on Attalla himself. He had reached the stabbing site that day after posing as a minor online to lure an alleged child predator and catch him there red-handed. The December 2025 incident initially made headlines because Niky was allegedly stabbed while carrying out one of his "catches."
The charges, however, do not establish that the influencer is guilty. Attalla, along with Morris and Spencer, is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. There is no confirmed information about whether Niky or the two other charged have retained attorneys or entered pleas with the court.
What are your thoughts on Niky Sal’s criminal charges after the stabbing incident?
Read Next: Sydney Sweeney Considered Breast Surgery After 18, Did She Do It? A Lie Detector Test Revealed