What started as a tense exchange in a quiet California parking lot has erupted into a national conversation, after a shocking video captured a woman yelling the N-word at a Black woman multiple times in less than 15 seconds.
The video—now widely shared online—shows the most disturbing part of the clash between two women outside a diner in Pinole, California.
What’s stirred outrage isn’t just the words that were said, but also the identity of the woman behind them: 34-year-old Risha Natasha Chand, a former bank worker at BMO.
What Led to the Altercation Outside the Diner?
According to police, the encounter happened when Jazlyn Garcia and her sister walked out of Pear Street Diner, which shares a parking lot with BMO bank.
That’s when they noticed Chand sitting in her car. Officers say the sisters took issue with how Chand was looking at them, and tensions escalated fast.
The full video hasn’t been released, but what the public did see was a 15-second clip filled with racial slurs and aggression.
The moment captured shows Chand repeatedly yelling the N-word at Garcia, who was recording the scene on her phone.
“Get Out of My Face” – Disturbing Language and Racial Slurs
In the now-viral clip, Chand can be heard shouting: “Get out of my face, you f**king N****r!” Garcia, who a friend described as Black and Mexican, stood her ground while recording the tirade.
According to Sergeant Justin Rogers of Pinole Police, that short clip only showed a fraction of the exchange.
The full video, filmed by Garcia’s sister, captured even more back-and-forth—much of it equally inflammatory from both sides.
Police Say Both Sides Threw Insults and Challenges
Sergeant Rogers told reporters that the shouting turned into verbal threats and physical challenges.
“They started yelling at each other, things escalated quickly, and both women were throwing insults,” he explained.
He also noted that Chand seemed to think Garcia was Mexican and hurled racially charged insults mixing anti-Mexican and anti-Black slurs.
“She repeatedly called her a ‘Mexican N-word,’ and then shortened it in the part that went viral,” Rogers said.
No Charges Yet, but Hate Incident Investigation Underway
Police have not laid any charges yet, but they’re taking the matter seriously.
The Pinole Police Department released a statement saying the case is being investigated as a hate incident.
They confirmed that both women are being treated as suspects and victims.
“Because both challenged each other to fight, we’re sending the case to the District Attorney with both women listed on both sides of the complaint,” Rogers explained.
The case will now go to the Contra Costa DA’s office for review.
More Trouble for Chand as Past Charges Come to Light
As if the situation weren’t serious enough, it’s been revealed that Chand is already facing criminal charges from a separate incident.
Just hours before this parking lot altercation, she appeared in court for allegedly stealing from an Ulta Beauty store in Concord, California.
She’s currently facing felony charges of grand theft and second-degree burglary, as well as three counts of misdemeanor shoplifting.
Who Is Risha Natasha Chand?
Chand, who was born in Fiji and is of Indian heritage, worked at a bank in the same shopping center where the incident occurred.
Her social media shows a mix of personal posts and cultural content, but the footage from Sunday has now overtaken any online presence she may have had.
City Officials Respond With Strong Condemnation
Pinole Mayor Cameron Sasai didn’t mince words when reacting to the viral footage. “Seeing the footage, I’m disturbed. I’m outraged,” he said.
“The use of racial slurs, especially anti-Black rhetoric, has no place in our city—or anywhere.”
As the investigation moves forward, many are calling for accountability and reflection—not just on the individuals involved, but on the broader issues of racism, identity, and community tension in America.