ATLANTA — An LGBT advocate and Atlanta school board candidate says he was robbed and kicked Saturday during the March for Transgender Rights in Midtown Atlanta.
Charlie Stadtlander tells Channel 2 Action News Wilford Hardnett yelled anti-gay slurs at him and fellow marchers on 10th and Peachtree streets.
"Not even a second, it was quick, quick as you could snap your fingers," Stadtlander said.
That's how long Stadtlander says it took to set off a frightening chain of events in Midtown Atlanta Saturday.
Stadtlander was taking part in the equality event for members of the transgender community when he sayssomeone stole his cellphone and started yelling anti-gay slurs.
Cellphone video shows the moments before the incident, and if you listen carefully, you can hear Stadtlander call for help.
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"Give me my phone back. Hey, I need some help,” Stadtlander says.
Stadtlander says he wasn't going to let himself be a victim.
"I went after him and grabbed him to keep him from fleeing on his bike and tried to get my phone back," Stadtlander says.
Stadtlander says when witnesses realized what was happening, they jumped in to help. Then things escalated.
"At that point (he) pushed his bike down and reached into his waistband and told all of us that he had a Glock pistol and told us he was going to kill all of us and used gay slurs," Stadtlander says.
The suspect got away, but not for long.
Police arrested Wilford Hardnett about an hour later at a nearby MARTA station.
Stadtlander's recovering from a sore shin where he got kicked, but is thankful it wasn't worse.
Cox Media Group
