THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

Lopez announced the incident later that morning via social-media and email. He posted on Twitter: "Awakened w/ bricks thrown through my windows & a garage set on fire b/c gang bangers think they can intimidate me & my family b/c I want my residents to be free of their tyranny. This attack only strengthens my resolve to rid our communities of these urban terrorists."

After the vandals tried to gain entry to the home that Lopez shares with this husband, a neighbor's garage was set on fire. Lopez suspects the fire was started because the vandals mistakenly thought the garage belongs to the alderman.

Lopez posted video showing a vandal approaching the front of his home and throwing a brick at it; the vandal then moved off-camera and threw another. Lopez said the vandal tried three more times to break the windows of his home. Lopez's husband extinguished the neighbor's garage fire with a garden hose.

Lopez is fiercely critical of street gangs who are active in his ward—which includes parts of Brighton Park, Back of the Yards and Gage Park—and has made concerted efforts to reduce activity there. "I am more than certain that this has to deal with our renewed efforts to address the gang elements and magnets in our community," he told WBEZ about his suspicions.

WBEZ's article is at bit.ly/2ZwCIrG .