CHARLOTTE — A Charlotte man is recuperating after he was robbed in broad daylight while waiting for the light rail in NoDa.
Channel 9′s Gina Esposito spoke with the victim, as well as the brave bystander who stepped in to catch the suspect.
The incident occurred at the Parkwood Light Rail Station on Monday afternoon.
The victim, who did not want to be identified, told Channel 9 that a fellow passenger stole his phone before running off the train. The victim said they then followed the suspect.
“We both fell on the floor. He was trying to escape, and I was trying to hold him. I was screaming, screaming for help,” the victim explained.
This is when bystander Michael Zytkow stepped in to help while calling 911.
“I was on the phone the whole time, and I was trying to plead with the situation to comment down. And I was telling him to please give the phone back; I was trying to resolve this,” Zytkow elaborated. “I got them on the ground, and then I put them in a chokehold.”
Zytkow said he was then able to hold the suspect down until police arrived.
“I don’t think without Michael I would’ve survived. That guy was very violent,” the victim explained.
That suspect was later identified as Darius Gilliard. Police said a backpack found on his person had several other cell phones inside of it, which could mean there could be more victims.
Gilliard is being held in the Mecklenburg County jail. He has been charged with common-law robbery.
The victim believes CATS should do more to protect its passengers.
“They probably need some more monitoring. They need to have a dedicated person in every station, especially during peak hours like this,” they expressed.
Channel 9 has reached out to the Charlotte Area Transit System regarding the incident. They responded that “CATS uses a layered approach to secure the system.”
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