City leaders respond after fight breaks out at Flint council meeting

FLINT, Mich. (WNEM) – Flint City Council members spoke about the fight that broke out at the meeting on Monday, Oct. 14, saying it was embarrassing and unacceptable.

A Flint City Council meeting ended early after a fight broke out.

“It was frightening. It was devastating. It should’ve never happened,” said Councilwoman Tonya Burns.

The council was working to appoint a new 3rd Ward council member to fill the seat held by Quincy Murphy, who died last month, when audience members began shouting.

Flint police said several attendees were involved in a verbal argument escalating to a potential physical altercation.

“Could we please have audience members step away from the desk, please? They’re in the streets, I guess they’re on their way, so you could please step away from the desk?” one council member could be heard saying during the meeting.

Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley released the following statement Monday night:

The safety of residents is our number one priority, and we are very alarmed by the incident that took place tonight. I want to thank the Flint Police Department and all assisting agencies for their quick response to deescalate the situation.

We have witnessed incendiary political rhetoric across our nation and close to home, and we have done everything in our power to make Flint City Hall safer. We have security guards in place during operating hours and we have implemented new security measures throughout the building. Citizens and stakeholders should be able to engage in the work of government without fearing for their safety, and we will continue to work with the Flint Police Department to ensure that public meetings are safe.

Meanwhile, Flint City Council President Ladel Lewis said she’s dedicated to keeping meetings safe.

She also provided a statement to TV5:

As the City Council President, I am committed to ensuring that the business of our city is conducted with civility and respect. Last night’s meeting was challenging for everyone involved, and I want to acknowledge the emotions that were present. I urge my colleagues to work together to maintain a safe environment during our meetings. Any behavior that contributes to frustration will be addressed promptly. To our community, I apologize, on behalf of the entire council, for the events that unfolded. To the family still grieving and waiting to share their voices, we welcome you back and support your right to speak. We are dedicated to keeping our meetings safe for all members of the community. Thank you.

But Burns paints a different picture, saying not enough was done to keep the crowd calm.

“The Flint City Council president and vice president did nothing. I asked them to warn them to bring these council chambers to order and they refused. They refused, they did nothing,” Burns said.

Off-camera, Burns showed TV5 she had called 911 at 6:39 p.m., nine minutes after the meeting started.

“I was not only afraid for myself, I was afraid for the public,” she said.

And she said the culture at Flint City Council needs to change now.

“You don’t put the public in threat, in a dangerous threat of violence. They should’ve been removed, period. No ifs, ands, or buts. You get one warning and then as it kept escalating, all of them should’ve been thrown out and escorted out,” Burns said. “They failed the residents, they failed the administration, and they failed their colleagues. It’s pure failure.”

TV5 also spoke to Flint residents after they found out about the situation.

“Obviously, tensions are high, but that is a very scary thing,” said Flint resident Jillian Handa

“I think it’s a disgrace. I think these are grown people and they should be able to act in a manner to be able to take care of the city. I mean, it’s scary to have the city to have people like this taking care of the city,” said Flint resident Marion Donan.

However, they said they’re also not surprised.

“No, no, because they argue all the time. Instead of just sitting down, getting something done. They don’t get anything done for us citizens so it’s basically a waste of time,” Donan said.

“It’s not regulated very well. The audience gets hyped up and I don’t think a lot of points get made correctly,” Handa said.

They want both the council and the crowds to figure it out peacefully for the city.

“There needs to be more hope instilled in the community and I feel like there is a lot of programs that are coming about and I think there is a lot of things that can be done in Flint,” Handa said.

“I just want some leadership, you know, some things to get done around here. We’re dealing with our water crisis still. You know, it’s too many things that we’re still dealing with. Blight, and things of that nature, and we need to get it together,” Donan said.

Murphy was facing a recall election at the time of his death. A lawsuit was filed by one of the candidates looking to fill his seat in an election this November after she said she was told the votes won’t count in the race, due to Murphy’s death.

Right now, that is still in limbo, and there’s no word on when a decision could be made.

TV5 reached out to the other council members apart from Burns and Lewis, and we received statements from some of them.

You can read the statements below.

Statement from 5th Ward Councilmember Jerri Winfrey-Carter:

Last night’s unfortunate events at the Flint City Council meeting were instigated by the leadership of our council. Both the council president and vice president failed in their duties by allowing the situation to escalate, ultimately inciting a riot. As chairs of the meeting, neither of them took the necessary actions to defuse the tension, nor did they enforce the Disorderly Persons City Code, specifically Section 31-10, which is designed to maintain order during such proceedings.

This lack of leadership and disregard for our city code not only disrupted the meeting but also put public safety at risk. It is vital that those in positions of authority uphold the laws and maintain decorum, especially in settings meant for community dialogue and decision-making.

As a council member, I believe it is essential for us to hold each other accountable and ensure that such disturbances do not happen again.

Statement from 4th Ward Councilmember Judy Priestly:

Council members animosity toward each other spreads into the public. I implore my fellow councilmembers to be respectful of each other and their constituents. Each of us were elected and we try to serve our residents in the way that we feel is best for them and the city as a whole.

I’m also asking members of the public to please be respectful during public speaking, not only to council members but also to the other residents on the City.

Statement from 8th Ward Council Member Dennis Pfeiffer:

As a member of the Flint city council, I find it deeply troubling to witness the events that unfolded at tonight’s meeting. While not entirely unexpected, the behavior displayed was indeed appalling. The divisive tactics employed by the mayor and the council president, who have consistently leveraged racial rhetoric and misleading narratives, have led us to this point. Such strategies are not only misguided but are dangerously fracturing our community.

Tonight’s meeting was marred by a clear intent from some audience members to disrupt and incite chaos, even threatening violence against fellow attendees. This is unacceptable in any civil society. More concerning is the apparent tolerance of such disruptive behavior by the council president, which suggests an agenda that prioritizes personal gain over community harmony and safety.

Regrettably, the council president’s failure to maintain order could be perceived as an endorsement of this chaos, fitting neatly into an agenda that appears to prioritize division over unity.

We must reflect on these events and consider the kind of leadership we wish to see in our city. Leadership that unites rather than divides, that fosters peace rather than incites violence.

I want to thank the Flint Police, Genesee County Sheriff, and the Michigan State Police that responded quickly and ensured the safety of all residents and staff during this event.

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