Black Campaign Worker Threatened With Gun During Early Voting (IMAGES)

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The violence emanating down from Donald Trump to his supporters has put the country on edge. Now, all of Charlotte, North Carolina polling places have been put on alert. As it happened, an armed man threatened a black campaign volunteer. This is how it went down.

Police arrested Jason Donald Wayne 28, a Charlotte resident, who allegedly harassed and threatened a GOP campaign volunteer at a Charlotte early-voting location. A WBTV journalist tweeted:

‘GOP campaign worker says 2men (sic) threatened and hurled insults +Nword (sic). Police arrest one man tonight saying he had a BB gun on his hip.’

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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) released a statement, The Charlotte Observer reported:

‘The department is conducting scheduled zone checks at all polling locations through the election on November 6.’

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According to a police statement, campaign volunteer, Derek Partee, noticed a person in the nearby parking lot holding a camera and “photographing or recording” the polling locations. The release continued:

‘The victim approached the suspect, at which time the suspect began directing racial slurs towards the victim. The victim stated that the suspect threatened to assault him before lifting his shirt and displaying a handgun which was in a holster on the suspect’s belt.’

What the men did not know was that Partee is a former police detective from Long Island, New York. The volunteer wrote on his Facebook page:

‘Down here in Steele Creek working the polls just threatened by two white males in a white female who called me a Nigger, Black piece of shit and he exposed his weapon. I had to back off and call CMPD, folks are getting bold and forward in the time.’

Screen-Shot-2018-10-25-at-9.40.47-AM Black Campaign Worker Threatened With Gun During Early Voting (IMAGES) Corruption Crime Election 2018 Politics Racism Top Stories Senator Tarte released a statement indicating that Partee was indeed a supporter. The release also stated that the altercation will not prevent Partee from continuing to campaign with Tarte. The senator praised his volunteer for his wherewithal in handling the situation. The volunteer even took photos. Tarte wrote:

‘We live in a brazen and bizarre time, when we find campaign volunteers and staff experiencing harassment and abuse working polling locations. No one of any political party should ever have to be subjected to these types of intimidation and threats at a polling place.’

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The police said that Wayne did not touch Partee or remove his gun from the holster. At the time of his arrest, the suspect was carrying a BB gun. Wayne was charged with;

‘Going armed to the terror of people, communicating threats, disorderly conduct and ethnic intimidation,’

 

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This was Wayne’s fourth arrest in the past two years. Those arrests included two for parole violations. The released added:

‘CMPD is communicating with the FBI to determine whether federal charges may be appropriate.’

The other two people accompanying Wayne were not charged. The police statement said:

‘Officers determined that they did not violate any laws.’

Senator Tarte was named “Top Freshman Senator” by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research and NC Free Enterprise Foundation from among the state’s 15 new Senators. He was also named “Emerging Leader” by the NC Sustainable Energy Association.

Featured image is a screenshot via WBTV’s tweet.