A hospital worker in New York City who identified as Sarah Jane Comrie has sparked controversy following the circulation of a viral video on social media. The footage captures an altercation between the worker and a black teenager who the healthcare worker tried to allegedly take a Citi Bike from. Keep reading on Nghe Ngong for more information.
1. Bellevue hospital worker tried to allegedly take a Citi Bike from a black teenager
In the video, a woman wearing scrubs and displaying an ID badge from Bellevue Hospital is depicted engaging in a dispute over a Citi Bike with a Black teenager. Citi Bikes are bicycles available for public use and can be rented from various docking stations across New York City for a small fee.
The footage captures the woman attempting to forcibly take hold of the bike’s handlebars, while the teenager claims that he has already paid for it, asserting, “This is my bike, it’s on my account.”
During the altercation, the woman tries to seize the teenager’s phone and warns him not to touch her, to which he responds by pointing out that she is the one touching him.
Concerned friends of the teenager implore the woman to stop, and at one point, she appears to be tearful. However, the teenagers assert that she is not genuinely crying, remarking, “you’re not crying,” and questioning why no tears are visible as the woman abruptly ceases her actions.
The video concludes with a man, who appears to be associated with the hospital, intervening, leading to the woman dismounting the bike.
Since its circulation, the video has garnered millions of views online and caught the attention of prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who deemed the incident “unacceptable.” Crump shared the video on Sunday night and wrote in his tweet, “A white woman was caught on camera attempting to STEAL a Citi Bike from a young Black man in NYC. She grossly tried to weaponize her tears to paint this man as a threat. This is EXACTLY the type of behavior that has endangered so many Black men in the past!”
2. Who is Sarah Jane Comrie?
As per the official website of NYC Health+ Hospitals, Sarah Jane Comrie is a graduate of Weill Cornell Medical College, where she pursued her studies to become a physician assistant. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University in 2011. According to her bio, she specialises in Internal Medicine
3. Legal Actions
It remains uncertain whether the teenagers involved in the incident are pursuing legal action or if Ben Crump intends to represent them. CBS News has reached out to Crump for additional information regarding the matter.
In response to the Bellevue hospital City bike incident, a spokesperson from NYC Health + Hospitals, the hospital system to which Bellevue belongs, issued a statement to CBS News. The statement acknowledged awareness of the video, clarifying that it involved a healthcare provider who was off duty and off the hospital premises at the time. The spokesperson described the content of the video as distressing and announced that Sarah Jane Comrie is currently on leave and will continue to be on leave while a thorough review takes place. The spokesperson emphasized the health system’s commitment to fostering an environment free from any form of discrimination for both patients and staff.
The video is still going rounds on the internet and netizens keep sending hates toward Sara Jane Comrie, but till now, no comments from her yet
