Man With Gun Threatens Poll Worker At Charlotte Voting Site

CHARLOTTE, NC — A man caught taking photos outside a south Charlotte polling station was arrested Wednesday after he hurled racial slurs at a poll volunteer and threatened him with a gun.

According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, the incident occurred when the suspect — identified as 28-year-old Jason Donald Wayne — was approached by a poll worker as he was taking photographs in the parking lot of the polling station at 11130 South Tryon Street Wednesday afternoon.

Early voting began in North Carolina Oct. 17, and in the first week has already led to voter turnout that rivals a presidential election year throughout the state, according to political observers.

When the poll worker — an African-American man — approached Wayne, Wayne hurled racial slurs at him, threatened to assault him and lifted his shirt to reveal a handgun in a holster on his belt, according to the police report. Wayne never assaulted the poll worker or removed the gun from the holster, the victim told police.

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According to the Charlotte Observer, the poll volunteer said Wayne and two others “angrily approached him” in the parking lot. He took photos of them, posted them on Facebook and called police.

Police arrived on the scene shortly after 2:30 p.m., and by 9:15 p.m., a team of officers and detectives located and arrested Wayne, who was carrying a BB gun in a holster, without incident. Officers also identified the two other individuals who were with Wayne at the time of the incident, but have not charged them because it was determined they did not violate any laws, CMPD said.

Wayne has been charged with going armed to the terror of the people, ethnic intimidation, communicating threats and disorderly conduct. Charlotte police have also alerted the FBI to determine whether federal charges may be appropriate.

According to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, Wayne has been arrested numerous times in recent history. Since March 2017, he has been arrested and charges of simple assault, assaulting a female and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Photo courtesy of Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office