JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The man facing battery charges in connection with an assault at a Jacksonville gas station caught claims that he didn't start the altercation.
Kevin Troy Williamson, 59, appeared in court Saturday after being arrested on battery charges.
The assault, was caught on video, and has since gone viral, with many organizations claiming that the assault should be considered a hate crime.
Newly released details indicate that when police arrived to serve a warrant at Williamson's residence on May 20, they say he spontaneously uttered, "did you watch the whole video? She hit me first."
First Coast News spoke to Rayme McCoy, the victim, after the incident.
"I went in BP to get gas and I was walking in...there was a guy arguing with an Indian guy and when I walked around him to go inside, he came in after me and was basically yelling 'y'all kind, you need to go back where you came from,'" McCoy recalled. "I'm pushing his beers away from me and once I pushed the beers away from me, he started punching me in my head."
An arrest report states that Williamson told police he was not guilty and that he was attacked by McCoy. He also told police he "was in a Black town" and asked what else was he supposed to do.
He says that McCoy hit several canned items off the shelf in front of him that struck his side and also hit his foot. He told police this is what 'set him off'. He also told police he did not make any racial comments toward McCoy.
McCoy says the items on the counter were beers, and they had been set directly in front of her.
The report says that Williamson told them it was not an unprovoked attack, as he believed that MCCoy wanted to hit him.
The judge told Williamson that he is not allowed to contact the victim, witnesses or any co-defendants. She said that he will be arrested again if he makes contact or returns to the BP.
A statement by the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville "on behalf of the family" of McCoy said that the crime should be investigated as a hate crime and that the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office was delayed in arresting Williamson.
Williamson was not arrested for five days following the attack, and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office did not release any information about the attack for days.
A statement by JSO confirmed that the incident occurred Monday.