Brighton Park

Chicago Alderman Says Bricks Thrown Through Windows of His Home, Nearby Garage Set on Fire

The 15th Ward alderman wrote on Twitter he believes the incident was because "gang bangers think they can intimidate me & my family b/c I want my residents to be free of their tyranny"

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Chicago Ald. Raymond Lopez said Thursday he was "awakened" overnight to bricks being thrown through the windows of his Brighton Park home and a nearby garage set on fire.

The 15th Ward alderman wrote on Twitter he believes the incident was because "gang bangers think they can intimidate me & my family b/c I want my residents to be free of their tyranny."

"This attack only strengthens my resolve to rid our communities of these urban terrorists," he wrote.

Around 3 a.m., Lopez shared security video of what he said was a vandal who threw a brick from his front porch.

"Marched right up to the front of my door and threw the first brick into that window," Lopez said. "He ran down the stairs and threw three more bricks."

Video showed the person walking up the stairs to his home and throwing something. The person then leaves the porch but is seen in a second video throwing items from the sidewalk multiple times after that.

Chicago police confirmed that around 1 a.m., a brick was thrown through one of a city employee's residence. The department said roughly an hour later, "the garage of the home next door was set on fire."

The Chicago Fire Department said it was called to the block for a garage fire just after 2 a.m.

By the time firefighters arrived, the fire was out and no injuries were reported, according to the department. The incident is under investigation by the Office of Fire Investigations.

Lopez said he believes the garage fire was meant for him, but the suspects hit his neighbor's by mistake. Lopez said he doesn't have a garage.

"My husband saw it and quickly grabbed our hose to put out the fire, limiting the damage to my neighbor's garage," Lopez said. "But the smell of the gasoline and the accelerant used was noticeable."

The alderman said another city employee happened to be in the area at the time of the fire and saw two people leaving the alley, one of whom he said matched the description of the vandal caught on camera throwing bricks.

The neighbor whose garage was set on fire, Antonio Delgado, said he was sleeping when someone in his home woke him up to alert him to the fire. He said the incident is frightening as he fears it could have been his home set ablaze.

Police said no one was in custody as of Thursday morning and Area One detectives were investigating.

"For me, this is gang intimidation," Lopez said. "This was meant to send a message and it failed."

Lopez said he was in the 4300 block of South Fairfield Wednesday to follow up on complaints at a "known gang building." He believes the vandalism may be connected to that investigation.

"While we were on that block, four other households of gang members came out as a show of support," Lopez said.

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