Onlookers Use Force to Subdue Homophobic Bully After Rant Gets Physical

Passengers at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport took action against an out-of-control man on Oct. 23 after he lashed out with verbal and physical abuse against another traveler.

Andrew Kennedy, who was waiting to board a flight with his brother, immediately began filming when he noticed the initial argument between the two men.

WFAA, the local ABC affiliate, reported that the incident started because the victim was wearing a pink shirt.

In the video, we see an onlooker in a black cowboy hat step up in defense of the bullied passenger. The situation quickly escalates from verbal abuse to physical violence as kicks are thrown.

A swarm of additional bystanders immediately pounce on top of the attacker and take him to the ground. Airport security arrives, and the man is apprehended.

Later, Kennedy turned the camera to his brother, Neal, for a reaction. "We saw a very troubled man. We hope that he was under the influence of some kind of substance … Because if he wasn't and that's his true personality, then he's going to have a long road in front of him," Neal Kennedy said.

The brothers had a feeling that the action they caught on camera would go viral, and they were right. There have been nearly 1.6 million views of the incident so far.

The video serves as a reminder that those cameras on our phones can be very powerful tools against hate.

Visit Stopbullying.gov for resources regarding hate crimes.