(NewsNation) — The teenager involved in a highly publicized altercation over a public bicycle in New York has come forward to share his side of the story.
Video posted online shows a white woman, identified by her lawyer as Sarah Comrie, screaming for help as she tries to wrestle a Citi Bike from a Black teen who claims he rented it.
The incident, which occurred earlier this month, sparked intense scrutiny and a rush to judgment on social media. The 17-year-old, identified only as “Michael,” expressed his discomfort with the situation and the negative aftermath he experienced.
According to Michael, he had been using the bike throughout the day, taking turns with his friends for 45-minute intervals and occasionally docking the bikes briefly to avoid charges.
He told a local news outlet that when Comrie approached the group and asked to rent one of the bikes, they denied her request multiple times.
Michael’s account contradicts an earlier statement provided by Comrie’s lawyer, who claimed that she paid for the bike and was using it before a group of individuals intervened.
Michael shared his feelings after the incident, stating that initially, he felt supported when people saw the video and empathized with his perspective.
However, once more details emerged, he faced backlash.
“At first I felt supported,” Michael was quoted as saying. “It was like I went through this thing, people saw the video of it and they were supporting me. When the receipts got released, everything flipped and people started calling me a thief, a thug and a Black man.”
He acknowledged that Comrie also faced significant criticism when the video initially surfaced, with media outlets and others referring to her as a “Karen,” leading to her being placed on leave from her job.
The Hill columnist Beverly Hallberg, founder and president of District Media Group, discussed the role of social media in the incident.
“We only know a snippet of a video that was recorded, we don’t know what happened prior,” Hallberg said. “The reality is … social media and big tech got a hold of this and immediately rushed to judgment.”
Hallberg raised concerns about the inclination to quickly label individuals based on partial information, particularly in matters of race.
Hallberg further noted that society tends to focus on what divides people rather than what unites them.
“I think we can look at this video and say what unites us is sometimes public transportation (which can be) really annoying, and people get frustrated, and maybe there aren’t enough bikes for everybody to go around,” she said.
She stressed that it was damaging to assume someone’s motives based on limited evidence, adding that it was important to consider the larger context and not jump to conclusions.
“We are looking for what makes us different and our assessing motive as to why people behave (the way) they do,” she said. “This is extremely damaging.”
Hallberg highlighted the need to focus on unity and common ground rather than seeking out conflicts and divisions.
“Everything is about race, whether you’re talking about sporting events, or how people act together and this is just the judgment people want to make these days,” she said. “I think it’s a shame. I don’t think we should be looking at that way.”