65-year-old man accused of getting into physical fight with kids in Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- A 65-year-old man is in jail, accused of physically fighting a group of kids, and sending two of them to the hospital. According to police, fists were flying, and so were some racial slurs.

It happened Thursday evening at Matheson Park, near Candelaria and Morris in Northeast Albuquerque.

KOB 4 talked to several neighbors who say they heard a commotion but didn’t actually see anything other than someone being arrested.

Friday, Wayne Layton was in court. He will stay behind bars until a hearing with a district court judge.

The state is asking for pretrial detention.

According to court documents, Layton approached a group of kids who were play-fighting, and tried to stop them.

According to the criminal complaint, he and his wife made statements about "white power" and the kids yelled back “Black Lives Matter."

Court documents allege things turned physical when the kids insulted Layton’s wife.

Apparently the fight was recorded.

An officer saw video of Layton approach one of those kids who was sitting down, grab him by the neck and force him to the ground.

According to police, “two children in the fight were sent to the hospital because Layton punched or hit them with an elbow in the chest.”

The complaint does not identify the ages of the children.

KOB 4 knocked on Layton’s door Friday to try to learn more about what happened. No one answered.

Layton is facing charges including battery, child abuse and assault