The Mayor Of Antioch, a midsize city in California’s East Bay, reported being punched at a community event on Tuesday.
Mayor Lamar A. Thorpe said a man approached him at the Antioch Chamber of Commerce State of Business 2022 “meet-and-greet” luncheon on Tuesday and punched him in the upper torso.
Thorpe claimed the man approached him “aggressively” and appeared to be looking for a fight, so he asked him to leave.
“As I tried to walk away, the man punched me in the chest and attempted to punch me again, but was unable to land his blow because bystanders intervened.”
“Violence has no place in public debate and will never be tolerated,” Thorpe said in a statement. “My hope is that this person is apprehended and prosecuted.”
Police did not respond immediately to questions about whether they would investigate and pursue the alleged attacker.
According to Antioch Chamber of Commerce President Daniel Sohn, the incident occurred in the parking lot of the event’s venue and the assailant was not a chamber guest.
Thorpe, who was elected in 2020 after previously serving as mayor pro tem and as a council member, was the target of an unsuccessful recall campaign that centred on his March arrest on suspicion of DUI.
Thorpe pleaded not guilty, but the day after his arrest, he apologized for what he called a “lapse in judgment” in imbibing during dinner the night before. The investigation is still ongoing.
According to the East Bay Times, Thorpe has also faced calls for his resignation after an independent investigation this month concluded that claims of sexual harassment made by two coworkers at a former workplace were substantiated.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Antioch has a population of 114,801 people and is located about 45 miles northeast of San Francisco.
A virtual flier for the chamber’s luncheon at Lone Tree Golf Course & Event Center teased presentations by Thorpe and Oakley Mayor Randy Pope.
