KANSAS CITY, Mo. The man who stepped in to stop a vicious attack on a T-Mobile Center employee is speaking out – and his reason for doing so is as heartfelt as it is heroic.

FOX4 was first to bring you the story of 66-year-old Thomas Schlange, a 17-year veteran guest services employee at T-Mobile Center, who was violently assaulted while simply trying to do his job.

Now, the only person who physically stepped in to stop the beating – as others recorded or stood by – is sharing what he saw that night, and why he couldn’t just watch.

“Thomas is backing everybody back – he’s just doing his job telling everybody to clear the stairway and all of that and the kid just keeps coming down,” said Antonio Clayter, who stopped the attack on the T-Mobile Center employee.

The video, which has now been viewed millions of times on social media, shows a disturbing scene: Schlange being punched repeatedly by a teenager inside T-Mobile Center.

Still, it’s that very footage that captured one critical moment – a man pulling the teen off Schlange mid-assault.

“The kid just pushed him; he just spazzed out and he pushed him,” Clayter said.

In the video, Schlange stumbles backward falling into Clayter, just before the attack escalates.
As the punches begin flying, Clayter acts.

“I had to,” he said. “It wasn’t even a feeling; it was something that had to be done. I have family members that are that age. This isn’t right. I was raised with morals and values. You can’t act like that, especially to our elders.”

Clayter’s decision to intervene wasn’t based on impulse it was personal.

“You can’t grow up with that type of mentality because you’re not going to get far in life at all…me, myself, I’ve been in trouble; I know what road that you can go down; you’re not going to get anywhere good besides prison or dead,” he said.

FOX4 reached out to the juvenile court system Wednesday, but so far, no case file has been received from the Kansas City Police Department.

We’re told police are expected to meet with Schlange on Friday as part of their ongoing investigation.

As for Schlange, he remains at home recovering from serious injuries. But we’re told he’s expected to be okay.

The video continues to spark conversation not just in Kansas City, but across the country, and FOX4 will continue to follow every development as this story unfolds.

Previous coverage

• 66-year-old T-Mobile Center employee talks about assault at NBA YoungBoy concert
• Video of employee being attacked at T-Mobile Center concert goes viral