Blind 'Minion' mascot body-slammed on Florida street speaks out about attack

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- (WKMG) -- Surveillance video shows the moment a man dressed as a "Minion" was attacked while working outside an airbrush store in Daytona Beach on Sunday evening.

Jamie Roehm says he was wearing a Minion costume while working outside Jungle George's Airbrush & More when he was approached by three people. The video shows two men and a woman walking up to Roehm, and then one of the men picks him up, spins him around and then slams him to the ground.

Store surveillance video of the incident

"No matter if they're handicapped or not, nobody should go through this," Roehm said.

Roehm, who is partially blind and refers to himself as handicapped, said his current job as a mascot for the airbrush store is the best he's ever had.

"Where else can you go out, listen to music, do your job, dance and have little kids and families come up to you? It's nothing like it, man," Roehm said.

He was surprised on Sunday when he was approached by a much different audience with a camera. Ryan Nihart, who is now charged with misdemeanor battery and criminal mischief in the attack, posted a video on YouTube Wednesday saying it was all part of a prank gone wrong.

"I would've never did this if I knew I was going to hurt anybody. I did it for the love of you. How was I supposed to know? I thought I had the Minion's consent?" Nihart said in a video filmed while he was driving.

Police body-camera footage -- Warning: graphic language

As for Roehm, he's already back at work and looking forward to making more children smile.

"I'm going to get on with my life and get on with my job, because I love this job way too much to let this affect me," Roehm said.