The lawyer for the New York City Hospital worker at the heart of a viral bike dispute said that his client was “hiding” because she fears her job and life are threatened by the incident.

Sarah Comrie is a Physician Assistant at Bellevue Hospital. She was called a racist “Karen”, by social media critics and media outlets, after she was filmed arguing with Black men in an iPhone video. They accused her of stealing their rental bike.

Justin Marino, her attorney, explained to “America’s Newsroom”, Friday evening that the six-month pregnant health care worker had just finished a 12-hour shift and was renting a bicycle to get home.

Marino claimed that Comrie began to walk away from the docking station on 12 May after she had paid for the bike when the men confronted and said they were taking the bike which was already reserved.

Around that time, these individuals claimed that it was their bike. “Someone pushed the bicycle back into the docking stations while she was riding it,” he said.

Comrie said she paid for the bike, but returned it to the docking station after the argument and rented another. Marino claimed to have two receipts which proved that his client was lying, and that the serial numbers matched those of the bikes in question.

Comrie, he said, sought out an attorney for fear of losing her job because of the encounter. Bellevue Hospital placed Comrie on administrative leave after the video became viral and she was accused of racism online.

In a tweet posted on May 16, Bellevue Hospital described the incident as “disturbing” and reiterated their commitment to providing an “environment” free of discrimination.

Marino told his client that her concern wasn’t limited to her job.

He said, “She has received death threats.” She’s hiding. “What’s at stake is what social media has done to this woman, who literally helped people, but within a minute tries to ruin the life of a woman.”

The lawyer says that he’s preparing lawsuits and there is “no doubt” that some media outlets have defamed the client.

He said: “She has been called racist and a thief. We intend to pursue that.”

Marino clarified they did not wish ill will towards the men in the videos and that their complaints were against media outlets who claimed she was a racial.

Her uncle set up a GoFundMe to “save [her] livelihood and reputation.”