Amid the coronavirus lockdown, the US mayor of a small town in Illinois sent police officers to disperse parties on Sunday and was shocked to learn that his own wife was among the attendees at one of the gatherings.
Alton Mayor Brant Walker, in his plea for people to stay at home, stated, “These are very serious times and I’m begging you to please stay at home. Parents, please keep your kids at home, doing so is vital to our health,” as he ordered police officers to disband the parties.
Upon busting one of the parties, the police found several people in attendance, including the first lady of Alton.
The day after, Mr. Walker issued a statement on Facebook acknowledging that the police had found his wife at a bar in the city, operating against Governor J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home orders. He expressed embarrassment, apologized to his constituents, and disclosed that he had instructed the town’s police chief to treat his wife, Shannon, as any citizen violating the “Stay At Home” order and to ensure that she received no special treatment.
‘I am embarrassed by this incident and apologize to the citizens of Alton for any embarrassment this incident may cause our City.
‘My wife is an adult capable of making her own decisions, and in this instance she exhibited a stunning lack of judgement. She will face “the same consequences for her ill-advised decision as the other individuals caught at the event,’ he added.
Everyone arrested has been charged with reckless conduct, a misdemeanor punishable by up to nearly a year in jail. They are due in court at a later date.