WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - A meeting designed for some residents in a Delaware public housing building to lodge complaints about living conditions ended abruptly after a physical altercation that led to a charge against a government official.
Andrew Johnson, director of development at the Wilmington Housing Authority, was charged with one count of offensive touching, according to Wilmington police. Johnson said on Friday in a phone interview that he would be exonerated of wrongdoing, citing the video of the events.
The melee happened as some tenants at the Park View Apartments in Wilmington were scheduled for Thursday to hold a private meeting with New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer and others at the high-rise building, according to news outlets.
The head of the housing authority, which operates the apartments, had announced it was a not resident-wide meeting. Tensions grew as local activist Jeff Day waved to someone inside and tried to gain entry to the meeting. Soon came pushing, shoving and punches, which led police to step in.
Park View residents say they’ve been complaining for months about slow maintenance and repairs inside the 14-floor, 200-unit building.
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