From Trussville Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM –Conflict between Birmingham mayor William Bell and the city council boiled over into a physical altercation on Tuesday between Bell and councilman Marcus Lundy, according to council president Jonathon Austin.
Both men have been taken to areas hospitals for treatment of their injuries and both say they will file criminal charges against the other.
Weld for Birmingham reported that Lundy was transported by ambulance while Bell was taken by a private vehicle.
“The mayor is currently recovering at a local area hospital,” according to a statement from the Bell’s office. “A formal police report has been initiated and will be ready for release in the next hour. From there, the magistrate will swear out a warrant for the arrest of Councilor Lundy. When approached by Birmingham police, Councilor Lundy refused to give a statement.”
The mayor’s spokesperson, April Odom, told the Birmingham Business Journal that Lundy started the scuffle and that Bell would require surgery, but she declined to say what kind of surgery.
Austin, however, painted a different picture of the fight, saying Lundy would be pressing charges and the fight had resulted in several injuries to the councilman.
“It’s a sad day when council members are attacked while trying to do the job they were elected to do,” Austin said.
Austin said the fight was a direct reflection of a lack of respect for the coity council by the mayor’s office.
“We have a leader of our city, just because one council member doesn’t agree with something, wants to go and assault one of the members of the council,” Austin said. “That is unfortunate. It’s not right and we are better than that as a city.”
According to the City of Birmingham twitter feed, the mayor is currently receiving a CT scan and MRI.
For more information, read the first hand account by Cody Owens of Weld for Birmigham here.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.