A man carrying a large rock threatened to stone a gay city official during a city council meeting in Klamath Falls, Oregon on Monday night to discuss racism and increasing equity.
Eric Osterberg, assistant to the city manager of Klamath Falls and staff lead for the Klamath Falls equity task force, was prepared to deliver the task force’s finding when he noticed a man sitting next to him with a rock in his hand, according to Herald and News.
Osterberg told the outlet that he said hello to the man in an effort to deescalate the situation, but the man grew more agitated.
“Oh, so you think we are all racist? You think you are the second coming of Christ?” Osterberg said the man told him.
Osterberg, who is a gay black man said the rock wielding man then accused him of spreading HIV and AIDS and called him “blasphemous.”
“You are a sinner and you need to be stoned. That is why I brought this stone,” the man told him.
Klamath Falls police chief Robert Dentinger, who witnessed the incident escorted the man out of the room.
Dentinger told Herald and News the man was not arrested at the council meeting.
“As of (Monday) night there was not enough information to arrest him,” he said. “But as things change, we are going to have to talk to him.”
Though he was shaken by the incident, Osterberg said the meeting went on and he was able to present his findings to the city council.
“I felt like I didn’t do my presentation tonight justice because I was so frazzled and put on edge by what had happened right before,” he said. “I think this proves that there is such a violent reaction to the idea that there is even racism in the community. That people are being threatened by violence in order to try and silence them. And I think that is pretty damning of the community.”