Florida police arrested a 75-year-old, self-proclaimed KuKluxKlan member accused of threatening to lynch the president of an NAACP chapter, in Gainsville, Fla.
Ronald Morris Wadford was taken into custody Thursday (Aug. 9) on warrants for stalking-hate crime charges, stemming from a series of threats that he made to Alachua County NAACP president Evenly Foxx, the Gainsville Sun reports.
Wadford called Foxx six times between Nov. 9, 2016, and Nov. 21, 2016, police say. During the calls Wadford threatened, “I’m going to hang your [n**ger] a**.”
According to a police affidavit, a witness confirmed that Wadford is racist and has a lot of “hate and violence in his heart.” The witness also said that Wadford had a collection of knives and machetes, and mentioned “going out in a blaze of glory.”
Wadford, who is reportedly homeless, is being held at the Alachua County Jail. His bail is set at $500,000. He as a long criminal history in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia, with charges that include cocaine possession, weapons possessions, and maiming.
Foxx’s life has been terrorized for nearly two years. She left Florida for a few weeks to stay with family out of state, and eventually moved out of the country, but has since returned.
Foxx attended Wadford’s arraignment Friday (Aug. 10). “I had to see this man,” she told The Sun. “He’s been looking over my shoulder for almost two years. I could see the hate and bigotry in his eyes. It was not a big deal to him.”
Although she’s happy to put the legal ordeal behind her, Foxx has compassion for Wadford, along with a burning question. “If I ever have the opportunity, I would ask him why, and I would tell him I love him,” she said. “Love conquers hate and that’s the only way we’re going to change our society for the better.”
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