A white woman who was filmed phoning the police to report a black man during an incident in New York's Central Park has apologised after widespread outrage.
The video shows Amy Cooper calling the police and claiming the man was threatening her after he asked her to put her dog on a leash.
Footage of the incident was posted online by the man's sister and sparked anger after being widely shared.
Ms Cooper was later identified after a screenshot of her LinkedIn account was shared on Twitter, showing her as the head of insurance investment solutions at investment company Franklin Templeton.
The man in the video, keen birdwatcher Christian Cooper, said he asked Ms Cooper to put the dog on a leash. He said that, when she refused, he offered the dog a treat.
The footage shows Ms Cooper saying: "I'm going to tell them [the police] there is an African-American man threatening my life." She is then seen dialling 911.
Mr Cooper told NBC: “The only way they can keep the dog from eating the treat is to put it on a leash. At some point, she decided 'I’m gonna play the race card', I guess.”
Ms Cooper said she had felt threatened because she did not know what was in the dog treat.
But she has since apologised for the incident.
In a phone interview with NBC New York, she said: “I sincerely and humbly apologise to everyone, especially to that man, his family.
“It was unacceptable and I humbly and fully apologise 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.”
Her employer Franklin Templeton also said Ms Cooper had been put on leave.
It said in a statement: “We take these matters very seriously, and we do not condone racism of any kind."
“While we are in the process of investigating the situation, the employee involved has been put on administrative leave.”
Social media users also criticised Ms Cooper for apparently dragging the dog by its neck harness.
Ms Cooper is said to have returned her adopted dog to a local animal shelter on Monday.
“As of this evening, the owner has voluntarily surrendered the dog in question to our rescue while this matter is being addressed,” Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue said in a statement.
“The dog is now in our rescue’s care and he is safe and in good health."
Ms Cooper and Franklin Templeton have been contacted for comment.
