Alderman Says Man Who Punched Him In The Face Called Himself 'Lucifer'
By Mae Rice in News on Apr 23, 2016 7:02PM
Thursday night, a man punched Ald. Walter Burnett (27th) in the face outside Burnett's Near West Side office. Late Friday afternoon, we spoke to Burnett about the incident—which he described as the first time a constituent has gotten physical with him.
He said his assailant, who first stopped by Burnett's office at 4 N. Western Ave. around noon Thursday, told Burnett's staff his name was Lucifer, and said he was tired of Burnett and Emanuel "messing him around." Though he did not threaten to kill Burnett or Emanuel—Burnett said he misspoke talking to the Sun-Times—the man did threaten to "kick our butts," Burnett said.
A new hire had just started working Burnett's front desk, Burnett told us, which was a factor in this man not being apprehended earlier Thursday for his threatening behavior.
Later Thursday evening, when the man punched Burnett in the face, he told Burnett, "You know what that's for," according to Burnett. Burnett didn't know, and asked for clarification from the man after police apprehended him, but the man insisted that he would only talk to media.
The man was arrested with a small knife in his pocket and three bags of cannabis, according to Burnett, though police have not yet replied to a request to confirm this.
"I'm used to getting knocked around, and knocking people around," Burnett told Chicagoist. (He was a Golden Gloves boxer in his youth.) However, Burnett said he was disturbed by this particular incident, which seemed "premeditated."
"I'm concerned about the guy," Burnett said. "I'm concerned about his mental challenges." Burnett sees this incident as evidence Chicago needs to offer better mental health services. "Tomorrow it could be somebody else [getting attacked]."