Hate Crime Charges Issued to Woman Who Allegedly Attacked Black Jogger, Told Her to 'Go Back to Africa'

A New York City woman could be facing up to 7 years in prison after being charged with hate crimes for allegedly throwing a bottle at a passing Black jogger while shouting a racial slur.

Prosecutors announced Tuesday that Lorena Delaguna, 53, was charged with attempted assault and aggravated harassment, both as hate crimes, after being arrested the previous day for the August 17 incident.

Delaguna allegedly threw a glass bottle at jogger Tiffany Johnson, a Black woman, while yelling a slur and telling her to "go back to Africa" during an encounter on a city sidewalk.

"In addition to allegedly yelling the N-word, the defendant in this case is also accused of throwing a bottle in an attempt to strike the victim," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a press release. "Crimes like this, which are fueled by hate, are in a special category for a reason."

"No one should have to endure being called a vile slur or being attacked simply because of the color of their skin, their religion, or who they love," she added.

Delaguna failed to hit Johnson directly with the bottle, which shattered nearby and splashed liquid on the jogger. Johnson attempted to get away from Delaguna by leaving the area but was allegedly followed for at least a block while her assailant continued to shout threats.

"I don't like to have that type of energy around me, so I was like OK, I just need to get away from her, and to me walking away was the easiest way of doing that," Johnson told WNBC. "She did follow me, kept pursuing me. People saw it, people were getting upset, somebody even threw a bagel in her direction... It was scary, I didn't want to see anyone get hurt, I just left."

The New York City Police Department released a short surveillance video of part of the incident, lasting 9 seconds, on September 16.

The video shows a light-skinned woman, allegedly Delaguna, forcefully throw a bottle towards Johnson as she passes onto a crosswalk. It ends as the assailant shouts something that can not be heard before walking onto the crosswalk herself.

Johnson said she would prefer to move on and "forget it ever happened," but was grateful that the incident was captured on video so it could be investigated by police. She added that she would tell her assailant to practice some self-reflection if they were to ever meet again.

"I'm not the n-word," said Johnson. "Nobody is the n-word. She needs to do some soul searching as to why she needs somebody to be that because that's not what I am, that's not who we are."

Delaguna is expected in court for her next hearing on Friday.

Newsweek reached out to the Queens District Attorney's office, which declined any further comment.