911 call released after black campaign worker allegedly threatened at voting location

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Police arrested a man for allegedly harassing and threatening to assault a GOP campaign worker at an early-voting location in Charlotte Wednesday afternoon.

According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, the incident happened around 2:30 p.m. at a voting location in the 11000 block of South Tryon Street.

Officers arrived in response to an armed man threatening a campaign worker at a voting location.

Officials say when officers arrived on the scene, a black man said he was working at the voting location when he saw the armed man in the parking lot with a camera taking pictures or recording the polling location.

Police say the armed man approached the campaign worker - a retired detective - and began hurling racial slurs, according to a report from CMPD.

The report stated the campaign worker said the armed man threatened to assault him before lifting his shirt and displaying a handgun which was in a holster on his belt.

He told police the armed man never assaulted him or attempted to remove the handgun from the holster, the report stated.

Recording of the call was released on Tuesday and the caller can be heard telling the dispatcher that he “feared for my life” and that the suspect, “could have pulled (the gun) out at any time”. The report also noted that the individual being reported had, “cameras in his vehicle."

A team of officers and detectives was put together to investigate this incident and were able to quickly identify three individuals involved.

Around 9:15 p.m., Jason Donald Wayne, 28, was located and arrested without incident. Police say he was carrying a BB gun in a holster which was located and seized as evidence.

Police say Wayne was charged with going armed to the terror of the people, ethnic intimidation, communicating threats and disorderly conduct.

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

Police say two other individual were with the man. They have been identified but have not been charged after officers determined that they did not violate any laws.

The department is conducting scheduled zone checks at all polling locations though the election on Nov. 6.

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