Uber driver prays at traffic lights - suddenly he is attacked by a passenger
New York City (USA) - What a shock! An Uber driver was suddenly attacked with pepper spray while driving. The reason leaves you speechless.
As People reported, Jennifer Guilbeault (23) is currently facing charges in court. The charges: a hate crime, assault and aggravated harassment.
But what actually happened?
On July 31, Guilbeault is said to have been sitting in the car of Uber driver Shohel Mahmud (45) with another passenger when he stopped at a red light at around 12.15 pm. There he began to pray in Arabic. Much to the 23-year-old's displeasure.
A video of the incident shows how she then lunges forward from the back seat and attacks the driver. She pulls his arm and sprays him with pepper spray right in the face.
According to the public prosecutor's office, the driver then suffered from "burning, redness and pain". After a few minutes, he finally called the emergency services. Guilbeault was arrested on the spot.
The video of the attack is currently making the rounds online
Did she attack the driver "because he is brown"?
Mahmud has since spoken to the news portal ABC 7 NY about the incident: According to the report, he jumped out of the car with his eyes closed during the attack. "But then I realized that my car was still moving, so I jumped back in, stopped it and then got out again."
According to the New York Times, Mahmud was unable to drive for two months due to the injuries he sustained in the attack. It was a huge blow for the 45-year-old, who is the main breadwinner for his family, who currently still live in Bangladesh.
What exactly drove Guilbeault to commit her crime is the subject of the investigation. According to USA Today, when the second passenger asked her why she attacked the man, she replied: "Because he's brown [in terms of his skin color, editor's note]."
Guilbeault is currently pleading not guilty and has been released from custody. She will have to appear in court again in January.