Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)—Mayor Joseph Woods alleges he was the victim of a violent crime in DownTown Park Forest earlier this month. The incident, which we learned began with a dumpster fire behind a business downtown, allegedly led to two people attacking the mayor. One of them had a knife, according to Mayor Woods.
According to the mayor, Village Trustee Tiffani Graham also witnessed the events.*
Mayor Woods alleges in a statement he released Saturday afternoon detailing the attack against his person by two people, one wielding a large knife.
He said the incident happened on August 6. He said he did not report it immediately because the alleged assailants were “acquaintances.” He said he wanted to consider his options. The mayor said “over the past week,” the suspected assailants “began to demand compensation.”
“Imagine that,” Mayor Woods said in his statement. “I am the victim of an attack, and now the perpetrators, the people who attacked me, want compensation.”
The mayor alleges the assailants “eventually filed a police report.” He is asking Village Manager Tom Mick and Police Chief Brian Rzyski to ask the Illinois State Police to investigate the matter. In his statement, Mayor Woods described the necessity of an independent investigation would ensure “no one will assume that it is being dealt with improperly due to my status as Mayor.”
Woods says that some “have chosen to use this incident for their own political purposes.”
We learned of this incident Saturday and have begun seeking information from the parties involved, Park Forest Police, and the Illinois State Police.
The statement follows. We added headers for clarity.
August 6
On the evening of August 6, I was the victim of a violent crime in DownTown Park Forest. I was attacked by two individuals. As I was fending off the first assailant and defending myself, the second assailant approached me, wielding a large knife, and joined in on the attack. At one point, I found myself getting up from the ground. I am grateful to Tiffani Graham, who was present and ended up de-escalating the physical confrontation by putting her body between me and the assailants. After a couple of minutes of an embarrassingly profane verbal back-and-forth, I left and went home.
Because the assailants were acquaintances, I did not immediately report the incident to police and wanted time to consider my options. However, over the last week, the assailants began to demand compensation. Imagine that, I am the victim of an attack, and now the perpetrators, the people who attacked me, want compensation. They eventually filed a police report.
“Thursday, August 15”
On Thursday, August 15, I decided that mediation appeared untenable and that my only option would be to exercise my rights as a victim, and to file a report of my own with the police department; and pending the outcome of an investigation, ultimately file charges.
In the interest of absolute transparency, I have asked and I strongly recommend that the Village Manager and the Chief of Police have the Illinois State Police investigate this matter so that no one will assume that it is being dealt with improperly due to my status as Mayor. I am optimistic that the truth regarding this incident will be the result of that investigation, and the inaccuracy of some of the current rumors will be fully corrected.
I want to assure the residents of Park Forest that this will not in any way interfere with the performance of my duties as Mayor. I am keenly aware that some have chosen to use this incident for their own political purposes. They will push irresponsible narratives and share manipulated accounts of the incident. However, my commitment to the citizens of Park Forest is that political threat, attempted intimidation, and harassment will not in any way interfere with my commitment to serve this community to the fullest extent possible. I have full confidence that the truth will prevail.
Erratum: When we first published this story, we wrote that Village Trustee Tiffani Graham worked for a business in DownTown Park Forest. We learned this is incorrect. Trustee Graham never worked for that business. We regret the error. August 18, 2024, 9:30 p.m.
eNews Park Forest will continue to follow this story.
