Jennifer Guilbeault, 23, has been indicted on charges of assault as a hate crime and aggravated harassment after allegedly pepper-spraying her Muslim Uber driver, Shohel Mahmud, in an unprovoked attack on July 31 near Lexington Avenue and East 66th Street in Manhattan. The incident has drawn public condemnation, with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg calling the assault a hate-driven act that no one should face.
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According to Mahmud, a 45-year-old father of three, Guilbeault pepper-sprayed him after making a racially charged remark, saying she did it because he is “brown.” A video circulating on social media captures the driver exiting his vehicle in shock, initially thinking he was being robbed, only to be sprayed again as he attempted to regain control of the car. Mahmud, a resident of Queens, described the incident as a clear hate crime.
Guilbeault, who initially received a desk ticket, now faces a formal indictment. Her attorney, Michael J. Alber, disputes the hate crime allegations, arguing that Guilbeault’s actions were not racially or religiously motivated and that the case should consider “all surrounding circumstances.” Guilbeault is due to appear in court on January 13.
