Victim of Videotaped Atlanta Beating Speaks
Updated: Wednesday, 08 Feb 2012, 3:34 PM EST
Published : Wednesday, 08 Feb 2012, 6:56 AM EST
By MYFOXATLANTA STAFF/myfoxatlanta
ATLANTA - The victim in a beating that was caught on camera Saturday outside a southwest Atlanta corner store spoke publicly about the incident for the first time on Wednesday. Brandon White, 20, calmly told reporters during a news conference that he decided to come forward after seeing the video of his beating online.
In the video, the attackers yelled gay slurs as they punched, kicked and even threw a tire at White.
FBI agents joined Atlanta police on McDaniel Street on Tuesday to process the scene and interview neighbors. They did some fingerprinting and took into evidence a tire that could be the one in the video.
Surveillance video from the store showed another angle of the attack. The men could be seen on the video preparing to jump White, and one person had a cell phone camera that recorded it. Another man is seen helping the victim walk away after the violent attack.
On Tuesday, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the men responsible for attacking White.
White said at first, he wasn't going to come forward about the incident. He said he felt embarrassed and humiliated. But after seeing the posted video, he decided "to deal with it." White also said he did not know his attackers.
>>CLICK THE VIDEO TO WATCH BRANDON WHITE'S PRESS CONFERENCE
White said he did not want anyone else to go through what he did. He said that others who may be facing a situation similar to his should face their fears and come forward.
White said he has been a resident of the Pittsburgh community for eight months, and plans to go back to school.