Community activist Claudio Gaete filed a police report late Tuesday alleging that Ald. Ricardo Muñoz (22nd) tried to push him down a flight of stairs Monday afternoon at the alderman’s Little Village office on the Southwest Side.
Gaete claims he went to the office, at 2500 South St. Louis Avenue, to present petitions to the alderman. He said he tried to talk with Muñoz, but the alderman refused to listen and became irritated, the source said.
The alderman allegedly grabbed the man’s jacket with both hands and attempted to throw him down a flight of stairs, according to the source, who said the man’s iPhone captured the incident on video.
Muñoz confirmed early Wednesday "an altercation" with a constituent who became "very belligerent" after he sneaked into a private part of the office.
"There was an altercation where there was a constituent who didn’t have an appointment," Muñoz said. "There was some pushing back and forth at the door [on the second floor]."
Muñoz said the constituent "basically forced" himself in and insisted he had an appointment when he did not.
No one was injured, and the man was not thrown down the stairs, but police said the altercation may still be considered a battery.
Local
The police report was filed late Tuesday night and no charges have been filed against Muñoz early Wednesday.
Harrison Area detectives will be investigating.
