The mayor of Birmingham, Alabama got into a fistfight with a city councilman during a Tuesday meeting, landing both men in the hospital, according to an Associated Press report.
While the cause of the altercation remained unclear, a police report obtained by the AP identified Mayor William Bell as the victim and Councilman Marcus Lundy as the aggressor.
CNN reported that Lundy, who was charged with third degree assault, faces up to one year in jail and a fine of $6,000.
Both men were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The AP reported that Bell suffered bruising on the right side of his neck and swelling in his left knee, while Lundy’s legs were scraped.
According to a police report obtained by the AP, the two officials became heated while discussing a personal issue in a room behind city council chambers. Bell told police that he turned and tried to leave the room three times, but Lundy prevented him from doing so, grabbing him by the neck and putting him in a chokehold.
In video captured by AL.com, shouts of “Woah! Woah! Woah!” can be heard interrupting a city council meeting being held in the main chamber to discuss an appropriation to the city’s general fund. Council President Johnathan Austin called for a recess before ending the meeting early.
Watch below:
Go on…
As a Birmingham resident, I facepalm pretty much daily over our city government.
Lundy claims that Bell tried to get him fired from his job with Regions Bank. They absolutely hate each other.
Since this is in the Bible Belt, they will claim
I vote for a cage match…