The white woman who told police a black man was threatening her life after all he did was ask her to leash her dog in Central Park has been fired from her job.
Amy Cooper on Tuesday also apologized publicly for her behavior and gave up her dog, a cocker spaniel, to the rescue group she adopted him from two years ago.
“I sincerely and humbly apologize to everyone, especially to that man, his family,” she told WNBC. “It was unacceptable and I humbly and fully apologize to everyone who’s seen that video, everyone that’s been offended … everyone who thinks of me in a lower light and I understand why they do.”
Franklin Templeton, where Cooper worked as the head of insurance portfolio management, tweeted that she was fired.
“Following our internal review of the incident in Central Park yesterday, we have made the decision to terminate the employee involved, effective immediately,” the company said. “We do not tolerate racism of any kind at Franklin Templeton.”
The incident happened in the Ramble section of Central Park. Christian Cooper, an avid birder, asked Amy Cooper to leash her dog. When she refused, he said he planned to offer the dog treats to lure it away and push her to leash the animal.
That’s when he started recording her on his iPhone.
Cooper asks him to stop recording then calls police.
“I’m in the Ramble, there is a man, African-American, he has a bicycle helmet and he is recording me and threatening me and my dog,” she says to the 911 operator as she grips her pet’s collar tightly.
The video has been watched over 30 million times on several social media platforms.