Jada McPherson was brutally assaulted by her neighbors, Andreea Dumitru, 45, and her daughter, Sabrina Starman, 21, in Ridgewood, Queens over a parking spot on Monday (July 7).
When footage of the attack surfaced, McPherson was seen being attacked by multiple people including the aforementioned mother and daughter and an unidentified man. “They were trying to literally rip my hair out of my scalp,” said the 21-year-old Pace University student.
The women were charged with first degree assault and second degree harassment.
Dumitru and Starman appeared on StrangeMcKnights’ YouTube channel on July 14 for a 30-minute “tell-all interview.” Dumitru claims McPherson called her “white trash” and that she’s been receiving death threats since evidence of the brawl surfaced.
Dumitru did express regret about the assault. “I regret that it was very wrong of me to do. It wasn’t right. I regret it,” but accused McPherson of “choosing violence,” adding, “She provoked the situation.” Starman also claimed that McPherson started the racial comments, but later apologized for her behavior.
“…I wanna say that I apologize for approaching the way I did after being provoked. It’s not the answer or solution to stop a situation, but people like me [Starman is a transgender woman] have fought so much in this country, on this world. I”ve dealt with so much trauma in the past for being who I am as a person,” she stated.
Comments under the YouTube video sided with McPherson. “It’s crazy to me that the person who actually ripped locs out of a woman’s head is trying to pretend to be victim,” said one user. Another responded, “Wait a minute, they aggressed her by calling her a monkey and now they’re in fear??? Ain’t no fun when the rabbit has the gun.”
Another comment read: “I live less than ten blocks away from where this was. These people have been known throughout Ridgewood as a nuisance at best. They’re sorry they got caught, and nothing else. Crocodile tears.”
During the attack, McPherson was flung to the ground by her hair and Dumitru was heard yelling, “You’re a monkey, b***h.” McPherson was also called a “slave.” She was treated for her injuries at the scene and is moving out of the neighborhood, despite over 100 people rallying in support of her, according to the New York Post.
Dumitru and Starman are due in court on September 9 to fight the charges.