An influencer known for trying to take down child predators is facing criminal charges after he was stabbed in a coffee shop confrontation with men he falsely believed he’d communicated with.
Nicholas Attalla, often known by the social media handle Niky Sal, has been charged with third-degree assault, second-degree criminal nuisance and endangering the welfare of a child in connection to the December 2025 incident which landed him in the hospital, according to court records reviewed by Oxygen. Attalla has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
What Are the Allegations Against Nicholas Attalla?
The Jamestown Police Department said in a release provided to Oxygen that the incident began around 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 13, 2025 when Attalla went to a Tim Hortons coffeehouse to meet with someone he’d been talking to online.
Attalla—a civilian who attempts to ensnare child predators in stings like those featured in the series To Catch a Predator—had been pretending to be a 14-year-old girl online when he talked with someone on a dating site posing as a 16-year-old male, police said.
The two agreed to meet at the Jamestown, NY coffee shop.
Once there, police said Attalla confronted James Morris, 43, and Eric Spencer, 42, and accused Morris of trying to meet up with a minor after threatening him “solely off the phone conversation and his voice.”
A fight broke out and Attalla was stabbed in the arm. Police previously identified Morris in an earlier release as the attacker.
According to authorities, the fight spilled over directly onto a 1-year-old and put the baby’s family and others in the coffee shop at risk.
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Morris was taken into custody and charged with first degree assault, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree and tampering with physical evidence. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, according to court records.
Spencer was also arrested in January and charged with second-degree criminal nuisance and endangering the welfare of a child. His court records were not available and its unclear whether he has entered a plea.
After the incident, police continued their investigation by interviewing witnesses, obtaining video footage and executing a search warrant on cellular devices.
“Through cellular phone search warrants,” police said, “investigators confirmed that there was no phone contact between Attalla, Morris or Spencer leading up to the confrontation.”
As a result of the investigation, police also charged Attalla. Jamestown Police Chief Scott Forster told Oxygen that Attalla turned himself into authorities on Sept. 4.
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Forster declined to provide any additional details about the case.
Oxygen reached out to attorneys representing both Attalla and Morris, but did not receive an immediate reply.
