Tiffany Johnson, the Queens jogger who was attacked by a woman who threw a bottle at her while screaming racial slurs, is speaking out about the shocking incident.
“It’s a hate crime,” Johnson told the New York Post. “It’s not acceptable. She has to be [held] responsible for her behavior.”
The incident occurred on August 17, but only started circulating when police released the footage on Wednesday.
It shows the woman finishing a drink from a bottle before hurling it at Johnson unexpectedly.
“Get out of here, n—-r! Go back to Africa,” the still unidentified woman screamed.
The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating, according to the Post. Police described the suspect as a woman in her 40s with a light complexion, standing at about 5 feet 5 and weighing around 160 pounds. The attacker reportedly had blue eyes and long blond hair.
“I’m glad the video surfaced, so hopefully she won’t do this to someone else,” Johnson said. “People shouldn’t have to deal with that type of behavior.”
Despite the random attack, Johnson kept her cool and continued to jog away.
“That’s not on me. That’s a reflection on her,” Johnson said. “She needs to look at herself and figure out why she looks down on somebody.”
“I’m entitled to go for a jog, live my life, enjoy my life and enjoy the things that makes me happy,” she added.