WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Police in Washington, D.C. are investigating after they say a Rabbi was attacked by a Lyft driver Sunday morning.
According to police, the victim, Rabbi Menachem Shemtov, ordered a ride through the Lyft app. The driver picked him up at the corner of Leroy Place and Connecticut Avenue in Northwest.
Shemtov, who runs Chabad Georgetown, said he was on his way home after Sunday morning services. He said when he got in the car, he asked the driver to turn the music down, which he did without issue. But just 30 seconds later, he said the driver snapped.
“He ordered me out of the vehicle because he doesn’t like my energy or the energy of people like me,” Shemtov said. “And I asked him, ‘What did I say? What did I do?’ He wasn’t able to give any answer, he said, ‘just your energy and all of that.'”
According to the police report, Shemtov got out of the car. The driver started following him and yelling multiple times, “Why’d you slam my door?”
Shemtov started recording on his phone. In the video, the Lyft driver reportedly said, “What do you mean have a nice day?”
Shemtov said, “Honestly, good luck.”
The driver then started yelling profanities at Shemtov and punched him in the face, authorities said.
“Knocked off my yarmulke, was blocking me from getting it. Finally, I got it and I ran to his car. As I’m yelling, ‘Get away from me. Get away from me,'” Shemtov said.
Police said the driver went back to his car and Shemtov soon started following him to stop him from leaving and get a picture of his license plate. This is when the driver allegedly hit Shemtov again multiple times.
A witness was walking in the area and started recording the incident on her phone. Another witness was nearby watching the altercation unfold.
The driver then left the scene.
“When I was by the vehicle, he then strikes me further a few times using a key, using his hands, using some sharp object to hit me here,” Shemtov said. “Thankfully, it wasn’t an inch higher. Otherwise it would have been my eye and now I’m very grateful that the injuries that happened were what they were and not much more severe.”
Metropolitan police said the incident is still in the early stages of the investigation. As of Monday afternoon, it was not being classified as a hate/bias incident.
Shemtov believes he was targeted for being Jewish, wearing his yarmulke and tzitzit.
“This was definitely fueled by a lot of hate. And this was definitely an act of violence that shouldn’t be happening on our streets here in D.C.,” Shemtov said. “Jews or anyone else shouldn’t feel scared or threatened that whoever picks them up in a Lyft or an Uber or any other ridesharing app, that this person might be violent and might hurt them.”
A Lyft spokesperson provided DC News Now with the following statement:
Lyft unequivocally condemns this behavior. Upon learning of this incident, we deactivated the driver and we’ve been in touch with the rider. We encourage riders and drivers to report harassment, discrimination, or safety concerns in the Lyft app.
Statement from Lyft
“Yes, today Lyft has reached out. However, in the moment, right when it was happening, it was very difficult to get anything useful from them,” Shemtov said.
Shemtov said he just wants to see the Lyft driver arrested and held accountable.
“I don’t want to live my life afraid. I don’t want others to live their life afraid. But it’s also important that those that do things that hurt others are held accountable so that it doesn’t perpetuate and happen over and over again,” Shemtov said.