Shohel Mahmud, a 45-year-old Uber driver, recounted the incident that occurred around 11:30 pm on Wednesday at Lexington Avenue and East 66th Street. According to Mahmud, the passenger, identified as 23-year-old Jennifer Guilbeault, attacked him without provocation while riding in the backseat with another woman, reported the New York Post.
“Her friend was yelling, ‘Jen, Jen, what the f—k, what are you doing? What’s going on?’” Mahmud said as quoted by NYP.“Her friend asked, ‘Why did you do that?’ And she said, ‘He’s brown.’”
Mahmud, who had picked up the women in Midtown, said he had not interacted with them before the attack. “They were talking to each other,” he said. “I wasn’t talking to them. My job is to drive them. I was driving straight down the Central Park Traverse, heading to 65th and Lexington when suddenly, for no reason, this girl sprayed me with pepper spray.”
In a video that circulated on social media platforms like Reddit, Instagram, and YouTube, Mahmud is seen being attacked with the noxious substance. He initially jumped out of the car, fearing the women wanted to steal his vehicle and phone, but quickly got back in as the car kept moving at a slow speed. The assault continued inside the vehicle.
“I mean, this is totally ridiculous,” Mahmud was quoted as saying. “I did nothing, and she sprayed me. Pepper spray is illegal. She assaulted a driver for no reason. This is a hate crime.”
After the attack, Mahmud called 911 while Guilbeault attempted to flee the scene. However, her friend stayed behind and called for her to return. Guilbeault was apprehended by police a block away.
Guilbeault received a desk appearance ticket for assault and will have to appear in court at a later date, according to police. However, the NYPD is not currently investigating the incident as a hate crime.
The incident has left Mahmud shaken and his family concerned. “Mentally, I’m not 100% OK, but I have to work,” said Mahmud, who supports his wife, mother, and three children, ages 17, 14, and 1, in Elmhurst, Queens.
Reflecting on the attack, Mahmud expressed his desire for greater understanding and respect. “This is the 21st century,” he said. “The world is smaller. People can work from anywhere; you can see video from anywhere. We need to treat each other better.”
