A fire in south suburban Harvey Friday torched the campaign office for mayoral candidate and veteran Albert Abney and the fire is now being investigated as arson.
The fire in the 0-100 block of West 159th destroyed the candidate’s office, including the building’s interior and campaign signs and flyers along with the barbershop directly connected to it, which employees say had been there for nearly 20 years.
Officials have not yet revealed what may have caused the fire, but Abney said his office was vandalized Thursday, the day before the blaze.
Abney, a military veteran, said a campaign poster was defaced with spray paint on his face and an x over his name. He also said someone had spray painted the word “leave” on his office building nearby.
“The last time I saw the word 'leave' I was up in Iraq, they said, ‘Leave America,’” Abney said. “I came, I was over there you know fighting for freedom, now I come home and decide to run for political office as mayor of Harvey and they spray painted 'leave' again.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said an investigation is ongoing, but they are looking into the possibility of arson.
"This is suspicious," said Fire Chief Jason Bell. "We have an active arson investigation."
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Princeton Harvey, a barber at Daddy's Barberstyle, said the business hadn't had any issues at the shop until recently, when they decided to help Abney's campaign.
"We were just trying to do a clean campaign for Harvey," he said.
Abney said he considered the fire a threat.
“This right here what happened today, this is a threat against everybody,” he said. “This is a threat against our very democracy.”
Having lost nearly all that he put into the campaign, Abney said the fire isn't going to stop him.
"They can take away all material things, but they won't take away my resolve," he said. "I'm not scared because I'm running, I'm worried about what will happen to the city if I don't run."
As of Friday afternoon, Illinois State Police, the state fire marshall, and other city agencies were at the scene.
