Shocking moment woman launches & pepper sprays NYC Uber driver in unprovoked ‘racial attack’ – as he recalls horror
THIS is the shocking moment a woman allegedly pepper-sprayed a New York City Uber driver during a frenzied attack.
Blood-curdling footage appears to show Jennifer Guilbeault, 23, viciously assault 45-year-old Shohel Mahmud during a late-night journey in Midtown Manhattan.
The alleged attack occurred around 11.20pm near Lexington Avenue and East 66th Street on July 30 and quickly went viral on social media.
Mahmud, who claimed the assault was racially motivated, then desperately tried to flee the moving vehicle – believing Guilbeault was committing a robbery.
The terrified dad-of-three then reportedly slotted back into the drivers seat as the customer allegedly continued her attack.
The culprit’s friend then intervened and asked why she attacked Mahmud, according to the driver.
“Her friend, she is yelling, ‘Jen, Jen, what the f–k, what are you doing? What’s going on?’ Mahmud claimed in an interview with the New York Post.
“Her friend is asking ‘Why did you do that?’ And she say, ‘He’s brown.’
“They are talking to each other.
“I’m not talking to them, my job is to drive them.
“I start going straight down the Central Park Traverse, straight down to 65th and Lexington.
“Suddenly, this girl for no reason spray me with pepper spray.”
“I mean this is totally ridiculous,’ he said.
“I do nothing and she spray me. Pepper spray is illegal.
“She assault[ed] a driver for no reason.
“This is a hate crime.”
Cops swooped in and arrested Guilbeault and charged her with third-degree assault.
They are currently not investigating the incident as a hate crime.
She assault[ed] a driver for no reason. This is a hate crime.
Shohel Mahmud
Guilbeault was later freed on a desk appearance ticket and has been set a yet unreleased court date.
Mahmud has since returned to work, but says he has remain scathed by what happened that fateful night.
“Mentally I’m not 100% OK, but I have to work,” he said.
“I have three kids, my wife, my mother live with me.”
“The rider’s actions shown in the video are deplorable”, an Uber spokesperson said in a statement.
“Violence is not tolerated, and the rider has been banned from the Uber platform.
“We will support police in their investigation however we can.”