Uber Eats driver’s viral encounter with DC coffee shop owner sparks hate crime investigation

WASHINGTON - A viral video showing a Washington, D.C. business owner allegedly berating an Uber delivery driver for speaking Spanish has sparked a police investigation into a potential hate crime and simple assault.

In the video, the owner of Canna Coffee, located on Florida Avenue in Northwest D.C., can be seen yelling at Uber Eats driver Gregorio Amundarain. 

"Learn English. Learn it. You make money in America, learn English," the owner shouted during the heated exchange, which has since amassed over a million views on TikTok.

Amundarain, who recorded the incident, told FOX 5 that his instinct was to start filming because the situation escalated quickly and made him uncomfortable. 

"There was no need for me to be treated so disrespectfully," he said, adding that he moved to the U.S. from Venezuela to support his family and build a better life.

The confrontation lasted about a minute, with the owner eventually shoving a bag of food into Amundarain’s chest. D.C. Police are investigating the situation as a possible hate crime, alongside simple assault charges.

When FOX 5 reached out to Canna Coffee for comment, we were met with hostility. A person at the business refused to answer questions, and another individual, claiming to be a neighbor, even put a hand on the camera. 

Later, Canna Coffee sent a text message response, saying, "We appreciate your kind approach. United we stand and divided we fall."

Amundarain expressed sadness and frustration over the incident. 

"I don’t want this to happen to anyone else," he said. "This inappropriate incident needs to be dealt with in the hands of the law."

So far, police have not made any arrests, and the investigation is ongoing.