A Lyft driver was arrested and charged in the assault of a rabbi in Northwest D.C. Police say they are investigating the assault as a potential hate crime.
Tireek Myrick, 32, of Northwest D.C. has been identified as the ride-share driver, according to D.C. police.
Rabbi Menachem Shemtov, 29, told News4 on Monday he had just gotten into Myrick’s car Sunday morning when things went immediately downhill. He says the driver was playing loud music and he asked him to turn it down.
“I asked him to lower the music; he turned it off completely,” Shemtov said. “We turned the corner, and he said he doesn’t like my energy, he doesn’t like energy, people like me, get out of the car, called me weird, and I got out, and for whatever reason, he then followed me, too, to punch me in the face and continue beating me.”
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
In video taken by Shemtov, he says the driver became irate, saying Shemtov slammed the car door and began punching him on Connecticut Avenue, leaving lacerations on his face.
A video recorded by a witness also shows Shemtov being assaulted.
“I really don’t see what it is to defend anything right there, especially when you leave the scene and flee right afterwards,” he said.
Shemtov says he was wearing a yarmulke and believes the assault had something to do with his Judaism, but D.C. police say they are not investigating it as a hate crime.
“He told me to go out of the vehicle,” Shemtov said. “I’m very visibly a Jewish individual. I’m very proud of my Judaism. I wear my religious articles very visibly and proudly, and then more than that, he then chases after me and physically assaults me.”
The police report indicated Myrick wanted to know why the rabbi slammed his car door, but there was no mention of anything that may have been hate based.
Myrick is currently charged with simple assault, but police say that designation can be changed as more information becomes available. A hate crime designated by D.C. police does not guarantee that prosecutors will bring the case to court.
In January, he was charged in connection to a burglary in Northeast D.C. that involved a customer cancelling their food delivery order. According to police, Myrick demanded money from the victim, kicked opened their door and stole property before leaving the scene.
In a previous statement to News4, Lyft said it identified the driver.
“Lyft unequivocally condemns this behavior,” the statement says. “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."
