Atlanta police arrest suspect in anti-gay beating

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By Marcus K. Garner and Patrick Fox

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Police arrested one of three suspects in the videotaped beating of a 20-year-old gay man in southwest Atlanta early Saturday, the same day the community held a rally to denounce rampant crime and violence.

Atlanta Police Department Christopher Cain was charged with aggravated assault and robbery in the attack on Brandon White.

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John Burrows (far right), a resident of Atlanta's Pittsburgh community, asks Atlanta Police Chief George Turner about police patrols in the community during a public safety meeting Thursday night. The emergency meeting was called after gang members beat a gay resident, shouting anti-gay slurs and posted a video of the attack online. Turner told meeting attendees that police had identified two of three men shown beating and kicking 20-year-old Brandon White in the footage.

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Brandon White, 20, speaks to members of the media about the videotaped violent beating during a press conference at Georgia-Hill Branch Library Wednesday.

Vino Wong, vwong@ajc.com Brandon White, 20, speaks to members of the media about the videotaped violent beating during a press conference at Georgia-Hill Branch Library Wednesday.

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Christopher Cain was taken into custody without incident around midnight in the DeKalb County portion of the city, police said. He was charged with aggravated assault and robbery and transported to the Fulton County Jail.

Police say they now have identified all three men who allegedly took part in the beating of the man, kicking and punching him while shouting anti-gay invectives.

Brandon White was attacked last Saturday in front of a corner market at 1029 McDaniel Street in the southwest Atlanta neighborhood of Pittsburgh by men identified as members of the 1029 Jack City Gang.

Video footage of the attack came to the attention of police and the FBI when it was posted online, and federal authorities are considering seeking federal hate crime charges against the suspects.

At a rally Saturday, the community turned out in the bitter cold to show support for White and to show his attackers that they will not tolerate such crime and violence.

U.S. Rep. John Lewis urged the crowd to continue speaking out against crime. “When you see something going wrong, you must do what you are doing today,” Lewis said, according to Channel 2 Action News.

Those gathered also were urged to not let their call for change dissipate after the rally.

“This is not a one day campaign. This is not a one week campaign. This is a lifetime campaign,” said city Councilwoman Cleta Winslow.

The rally included members of the community and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender community.

Police have not released the names or suspected whereabouts of the two other alleged assailants, but a $15,000 reward is offered for information leading to their capture and prosecution. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers Atlanta, 404-577-8477.

Residents of the community said they are looking for answers to address violence and crime in Pittsburgh. Suggestions emerged at a Thursday public safety meeting.

“I recommend a neighborhood watch program with nightly patrols by the neighborhood to reduce the level of required police patrols,” Nykieria Chaney said. “Also, a mandatory curfew for children and adolescents who are out without parent supervision.”

Chaney’s third suggestion aimed to foster harmony with the neighborhood and the gay and lesbian community.

"Because this was specifically a hate crime, I do recommend that the churches and organizations in this area form an alliance that teaches the tolerance of race, religion and sexual orientation,” she said.