Latest news with #racialslurs
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Irvine man charged with hate crimes after allegedly beating elderly driver and throwing hot coffee at another
An Irvine man faces hate crime charges after he allegedly threw a hot cup of coffee at a man and beat an elderly driver while shouting racial slurs. The Orange County District Attorney's Office described suspect Robert Tackett's actions as "hate motivated attacks" against two Hispanic men. Prosecutors charged Tackett, 54, with four counts related to the assaults, including inflicting injury on an elderly adult. He faces a maximum of eight years in state prison if convicted on all counts. He's being held at the Orange County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail. "Hate is a venom that poisons everything – and everyone – it touches. An attack motivated by hate is not an attack on just a single individual; it is an attack on the very fabric of our society and our community as a whole," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said. The two alleged assaults happened on July 22 in two Orange County cities. In the morning, Tackett allegedly followed a garbage truck driver through Irvine on Sand Canyon Avenue near the 5 Freeway. The Irvine Police Department said Tackett tried to run the other driver off the road while shouting racial slurs at him. The Orange County District Attorney's Office said he allegedly tried to crash into the garbage truck twice, but the other driver quickly slammed the brakes and avoided a collision each time. After intentionally trying to crash into the victim, Tackett allegedly threw a hot cop of coffee that landed on the victim's face, hands and car interior, according to Irvine PD. The second assault happened at around 5:30 p.m. in Westminster. Tackett allegedly got out of his work van while stopped at a light, repeatedly punched a 72-year-old driver through an open window and shouted racial slurs. The California Highway Patrol arrested Tackett in Mammoth two days after the attacks. "Every member of our society deserves to go about their days unafraid that they would be targeted because of the color of their skin, their gender, or their sexual orientation," Spitzer said. "We must collectively combat hate by speaking up and speaking out against hate – and haters – to continue to send a strong message that hate will never be tolerated here in Orange County or anywhere."
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Love Island' Cierra, in an 'empathy' sweater, apologizes for racial slur
Cierra Ortega has broken her silence after abruptly leaving the "Love Island USA" Season 7 villa. The University of Arizona alum and former Phoenix resident joined the reality dating show at the end of the June 3 premiere episode and left due to a "personal situation." No specific reason was cited, but the marketing professional was recently getting a lot of backlash due to resurfaced Instagram stories and posts containing racial slurs. The 25-year-old shared a nearly five-minute video on Instagram on Wednesday, July 9, in which she donned a black sweater with "empathy" written across the front in big white letters. She began by saying she knows a lot of people have been waiting for her to speak out about the news that's "come to light recently." She said she has been back in the U.S. for about 48 hours and is now able to speak about this "without being highly emotional because I'm not the victim in this situation." Ortega said this was "not an apology video" but rather an "accountability video." Here's what happened to Cierra on "Love Island" Episode 30, what happened to Cierra and Nic and more on Cierra's response. Cierra Ortega left the "Love Island USA" Season 7 villa during Episode 30. During "Love Island USA" Season 7 Episode 30, narrator Iain Stirling announced that "Cierra has left the villa due to a personal situation." Similar to former Islander Yulissa Escobar, Ortega may have been removed due to racial slurs she used against East Asian people. When describing her Botox on her social media, Ortega said she loved how it made her eyes look and used a derogatory racial slur aimed at Asian people. She used that same slur in a 2015 Instagram post of herself at the top of "A" Mountain in Tempe. Cierra used a word that originated in the 19th century as a racial slur against people of Chinese descent. It was intended to insult someone's appearance, particularly their eyes. It's now more broadly used against people of Asian descent. Nicolas "Nic" Vansteenberghe, a 24-year-old registered nurse and model from Jacksonville, Florida, was left single after Ortega left the show. Olandria Carthen then coupled up with Vansteenberghe during Episode 30. Hannah spills the 'Love Island USA' tea: She dishes on Charlie, Pepe and who should win Season 7 In the video, Ortega said she used an "incredibly offensive and derogatory term." "I want to first start by addressing not just anyone that I have hurt or deeply offended but most importantly, the entire Asian community," Ortega said. "I am deeply, truly, honestly so sorry. I had no idea that the word held as much pain, as much harm and came with the history that it did, or I never would have used it. "I had no ill intention when I was using it, but that's absolutely no excuse because intent doesn't excuse ignorance, it just doesn't, and I just need you to know that I am so sorry." Ortega said she didn't know the word was a slur until she shared an Instagram story in 2024 and a viewer reached out to correct her. The person told her what she said was incredibly hurtful, a derogatory term and a slur. She said she "immediately deleted the post" and educated herself on the true meaning and history of the word, along with informing anyone around her who was "accidentally holding space for this slur." She said the word was "immediately removed from my vocabulary" after she was corrected. Ortega shared screenshots of the interaction with a timestamp of Jan. 27, 2024, and denied any "narrative" that has been circulating of her doubling down once people tried to correct her. "In that moment, the lesson was learned, the word was removed and it was a true learning moment for me," Ortega said. She also did not push back on the "Love Island USA" producers' choice to send her home. "I completely agree with the network's decision to remove me from the villa," she said. "I think this is something that deserved punishment and the punishment has absolutely been received for sure." She said the backlash hard to deal with – although she understands where the hate is coming from. She said she's concerned about her family and loved ones. "They have had ICE called on them. My family doesn't feel safe in their own home. I'm receiving death threats," Ortega said. "There's no need to fight hate with hate. I don't think that that's justice." Ortega, who is of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, said she will "move differently" in the future. She said she knows that no apology could undo the harm caused by her remarks and that her actions going forward will speak louder than an apology ever could. Ortega hopes people can use her mistake as a learning moment and asks people to allow her to "grow with grace." Reach the reporter at Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter, and on Bluesky @ Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Love Island USA's' Cierra Ortega apologizes for racial slur
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cierra Ortega controversy: Why did Cierra get kicked off 'Love Island'?
Cierra Ortega has suddenly left the "Love Island USA" villa a week before the finale. The Arizona bombshell entered Season 7 on Day 2 and was coupled up with Nicolas "Nic" Vansteenberghe, a 24-year-old registered nurse and model from Jacksonville, Florida. Cierra and Nic were the first and only couple on the Island, at the time of Episode 25, to have become closed off. Nic is now "officially single" after Cierra was abruptly removed from the show due to "a personal situation." Here's what happened to Cierra on "Love Island USA," why Cierra was sent home and what Cierra said. During "Love Island USA" Season 7 Episode 30, narrator Iain Stirling announced that "Cierra has left the villa due to a personal situation." Cierra was abruptly removed from "Love Island USA" due to "a personal situation." The marketing professional from Phoenix was recently getting a lot of backlash due to Instagram stories and posts with racial slurs that had resurfaced. Similar to former Islander Yulissa, Cierra may have been removed due to racial slurs she used against East Asian people. When describing her Botox on her social media, Cierra said she loved how it made her eyes look and used a derogatory racial slur aimed at Asian people. She used that same slur in a 2015 Instagram post of herself at the top of "A" Mountain in Tempe. The word Cierra used originated in the 19th century as a racial slur against people of Chinese descent. It was intended to insult someone's appearance, particularly their eyes. It's now more broadly used against people of Asian descent. Cierra's family commented on the situation on Cierra's Instagram account. "We're not here to justify or ignore what's surfaced," the Instagram story from her account @ on July 6 states. "We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters. But what's happening online right now has gone far beyond that." They went on to say that the threats, cruel messages and attacks on her family, friends and supporters are heartbreaking and uncalled for, no matter the mistake. "While Cierra is not in the villa anymore, she is still away," the story said. "She hasn't had the chance to process any of this or speak for herself. But we know our daughter. We know her heart. And when she returns, we believe she'll face this with honesty, growth, and grace." Former Islander Belle-A shared a story on Sunday, July 6, as well. "As a proud Asian American woman, I'm deeply appreciative of the Love Island USA producers for taking a stand and making it clear that racism of any kind is not tolerated," Belle-A wrote. "When I first saw what my fellow Islander said on their social media pages, I was incredibly heartbroken. But I wanted to wait until they left the villa and were able to address the situation, genuinely apologize and commit to learning from the experience before deciding how our relationship would look moving forward." But as more screenshots surfaced, she wrote, she could no longer support this person and unfollowed them. And she said she hoped the situation would help shed light on the issue of anti-Asian hate. Cierra is 25 years old. She graduated from the University of Arizona in 2021 with a degree in Care, Health, Society, a minor in Business Administration and in Fashion and Retail Consumer Sciences. When does 'Love Island USA' end: When is the 'Love Island USA' finale 2025? You can stream "Love Island USA" 2025 exclusively on Peacock. A premium monthly plan on Peacock costs $7.99, or there is a deal for a premium annual plan at $24.99 for one year. The premium plus plan, which is ad-free, costs $13.99 per month or $139.99 a year. Reach the reporter at Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter, and on Bluesky @ Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What did Cierra from 'Love Island' say? Why she left the villa
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Yahoo
Furious mother-daughter duo viciously attacks driver for moving trash cans reserving parking spot: video
Two individuals were arrested in New York City last week after video captured them spewing racial slurs and viciously attacking a female driver over a public parking space. Andreea Dumitru, 45, and Sabrina Starman, 21, were charged with assault on Monday after attacking a 21-year-old driver outside a home in Ridgewood, Queens, police confirmed to Fox News Digital on Saturday. Social media users on Reddit alleged that the two attackers were a mother-daughter duo who became violent after the victim tried to move a trash can that was placed in the street to block off a public parking spot. The suspects allegedly punched the woman multiple times in the face and body, causing substantial pain, authorities said. Subway Riders Deliver Street Justice To Brute Who Grabbed Screaming Woman On Platform The victim was identified as Jada McPherson, according to the New York Post. Read On The Fox News App While the attack erupted on Monday, neighbors say tensions over the parking spot have been simmering for years. Social media users on a Reddit post titled "The fight over the parking spot finally happened" claimed that the individuals involved routinely used trash cans and traffic cones to illegally hold street parking for hours while they were away. A former resident on the Reddit thread said, "Sometimes those trash cans will be there for three hours reserving the spot." The person who filmed the altercation said in the post, "It's been going on for years. The whole family does it, today someone finally had a breaking point." Convicted Rapist On Parole Charged With Attempted Murder After Brutal Attack Leaves Nyc Mother In Coma Video shows the moments before the brawl, where the 21-year-old victim is seen with her car, trying to clear the parking spot by removing the garbage bin. A man was heard shouting, "Stop touching my stuff!" as he placed the garbage cans back on the curb, according to Fox 5 New York. The victim responded with, "I just got home from work! I don't want to circle the block five times looking for a parking spot because this [expletive] was holding it with a garbage can," the outlet reported. Surveillance Video Shows California Homeless Woman Set On Fire In Horrific Attack Moments later, Starman lunged at the woman and began throwing punches. Dumitru and an unidentified man joined in by hitting the woman and pulling her hair as the victim curled up defensively. A bystander with a cane was also heard yelling as the scuffle escalated. Click To Get The Fox News App Police arrested Dumitru and Starman at the scene, and the victim was treated for her injuries on-site, authorities article source: Furious mother-daughter duo viciously attacks driver for moving trash cans reserving parking spot: video
News.com.au
12-07-2025
- News.com.au
Wild street brawl over saved parking spot in Queens
An unhinged mother and her foul-mouthed daughter savagely attacked a female driver for trying to park in a spot they were 'saving' in a caught-on-video brawl in Queens, New York. Andreea Dumitru, 45, and her daughter Sabrina Starman, 21, are seen in a viral video posted to Reddit unloading on victim Jada McPherson on Monday — pulling her hair, flinging racial slurs and unleashing a flurry of punches as she tries to fend them off. 'They were trying to literally rip my hair out of my scalp,' said Ms McPherson, 21, a Pace University student who was renting in the neighbourhood, where hoarding on-street spaces has locals fuming. The battle broke out after Ms McPherson tried to park in a spot Ms Dumitru and Ms Starman were guarding, cops said. An unidentified man also joined in on the gang-up on Ms McPherson, but apparently hightailed it out of the area before police arrived. 'The guy, he ended up coming up behind me while I was trying to park and put a trash can to prevent me from parking,' Ms McPherson said. When Ms McPherson couldn't find another spot on the block, she came back to tell the family they couldn't guard parking spots, she said. That's when the man went 'ballistic' and the mother-daughter pair flung racist language at Ms McPherson, who is black. 'You're a monkey, b***h,' Ms Dumitru is heard shouting in the video. Ms McPherson responds, 'You're an immigrant, b***h.' Ms Starman then yells 'You're a f*****g slave b***h. You're a slave for what it's worth,' before lunging at her, and the fight ensues. 'I definitely did fear for my life,' Ms McPherson said. Ms Starman and Ms Dumitru were later arrested and charged with first degree assault and second degree harassment, police said. After the arrests, Ms McPherson eventually did get to park in the spot she fought for. But she said she's been on edge ever since and has only left the house with a friend or family-member. She plans to move out of the neighbourhood this weekend. 'Jumping one person for a parking space is really not right,' Ms McPherson said. Parking space hoarding has sparked tensions in the area, with the family seen in the brawl notorious offenders who claim public spaces as their own with traffic cones and other items, locals told The Post. 'You know, I could move the garbage cans and park, but then they could slash my car or something,' said Yesenia Delgado, 33, who has lived in the neighbourhood for 14 years. 'Someone is always there, holding the spot,' George Carrasquillo, 53, who lives across the street from the spot. Mr Carrasquillo often drives to work in Manhattan, but has to park two blocks away from his home because he can't find a spot. 'I have to take my kick scooter with me to drop the car off, I find parking, then come home to my apartment, and have to see all this, their beautiful spot saved. Isn't this public parking?' Mr Carrasquillo said. Ms Starman and Ms Dumitru have hired a lawyer and plan to fight the charges in court in September. 'You can't claim to be a victim if you instigate an altercation with threatening behaviour and vile and hurtful language,' said Mahmoud Rabah, an lawyer for the pair. Mr Rabah says the mother and daughter duo have received death threats since the video was posted.
