Elgin, Illinois, City Council members this week discussed what to do after an incident in which a 9-year-old boy was apparently pinched by one of two “pit bulls” a week ago today in Elgin’s Festival Park. I say “pinched” because that’s what the Chicago Tribune called it. Interesting that this incident went from an “attack,” to a “bite,” to a “pinching,” as if the media is now back-pedaling. Will we soon find out that the dogs, barely out of their puppy phase, were just trying to play with the boy? It’s also interesting too that while the owner of the dogs, Ms. Sonia Torres, is asking how the dogs got out of their cages while on her property, which sounds like she too thinks they were stolen, the Tribune is reporting today that the dogs “escaped from their cages.” Yet, this is how the scene was described by the Courier News on June 1:
Torres had left her house to pick up her kids and upon her return found the gates to the dog’s cages open and a hole in her fence.
Sounds like they were stolen, and yet Ms. Torres was charged with having two dogs at large? Why?
In the aftermath of the Festival Park pinch, Elgin City Council members have wisely decided not to pursue another divisive breed-specific amendment to their existing dangerous dog law; the dangerous dog law that hadn’t even taken effect yet when the incident occurred. However, Councilman John Prigge, who initially pushed breed-specific legislation (BSL) in February and March and who was the cause of the resulting division in the first place, just couldn’t resist a parting shot at his fellow council members. He told the Chicago Tribune:
It’s clear now that my colleagues do not agree a 9-year-old being attacked is worth revisiting…
Oh it’s worth revisiting alright. Indeed, it’s worth investigating whether Prigge had a hand in it. Why? Because it appears as if few believe that it’s just coincidence that there would be another “pit bull” attack so soon after Prigge’s breed-specific ordinance proposal was shot down in March. Especially after he made these very revealing comments:
I do believe somethings going to happen¦I think its inevitable. I just pray to God its not a tragedy¦We need to have another occurrence to happen – hopefully its not a tragedy – and then theres no turning back.
Do others think that quote potentially implicates Prigge too? We certainly thought so back when he originally said it! In fact, we called it ridonkulous it was so ridiculous!
And look what Prigge said last Sunday:
I knew we would be back here¦I’m rearing to go on this.
How did Prigge know Elgin “would be back here” and so soon after his BSL proposal was shot down in March?
At this point, does anyone believe in the likelihood of there having been this many “pit bull” “attacks” in Prigge’s one year in office? And since Prigge cites a radical animal rights group that is in favor of breed-specific legislation, maybe he also shares the animal rightist modus operandi of staging “pit bull” attacks. And no, that theory isn’t far-fetched judging from the comments to this blog lately. Look what some have said:
…this whole scenario,I beleive was contrived by Prigge and co.and should be fully investigated by independants…The bottom line Prigge must be investigated and removed.
…it has long been the theory of many bull breed owners that stealth attacks by some sort of unknown dog who is never seen again have been set ups…
And judging from our stats lately, Prigge’s abuse of power is known worldwide at this point. He has cast a pall on Elgin and has made the city a focus of derision and disgust. Clearly Elgin is no longer “a community to call home” and won’t be for as long as Councilman John Prigge is playing fascist.
He has abused his power and committed political malfeasance such that we can now officially call for an investigation of Prigge for corruption. As Prigge himself notes, a boy was injured, and in addition, a woman’s dogs were stolen; innocent dogs that are now dead! So whoever was behind the theft of those dogs who dumped them off in, or chased them to, Festival Park for the sole purpose of having the dogs attack an innocent person or people, is potentially guilty of what? Assault? Attempted manslaughter? Attempted murder? Think about that! And are the police investigating? Are they???
So I’ll ask again. Why does John Prigge, and only John Prigge, have a police scanner? What was he listening for? It looks like Prigge may have already violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act with his motion denying people the right to speak against his breed-specific proposal at a prior meeting. That alone is outrageous and unconscionable, but if he had a hand in hurting that 9-year-old at Festival Park, he ought to be immediately removed from office and investigated for corruption! Given Prigge’s track record so far, an investigation should already have been undertaken. So what’s it gonna take???
10 responses to “BSL Not Imminent in Elgin, Illinois, but a Criminal Probe of Councilman John Prigge Should Be”
“rearing to go”?? HUH.. sounds like something an ass would say.. the expression is “raring to go”.. Prigge ( and his name says a lot) sounds like a lone of Kory Nelson.. cut from the same cloth.. Two dogs DEAD a boy “pinched” wow now that is justice…
umm sorry CLONE of Kory Nelson
There was a rumor in town in April that John Prigge hired a private investigator to follow Pit Bull owners around town, keep track of incidents and look for ‘warning’ behaviors. It could not be confirmed by the Elgin Police when asked, then again a P.I. doesn’t have to check-in with local authorities when they are being paid by the hour. The firm that was hired is a local Elgin firm, and the people commenting on the rumor said the P.I. was bragging about his new gig to find the ‘perfect problem owner” to bring the BSL issue back up in 2010. Interesting, huh? Again, hear-day and drama… no proof… but an incident for family dogs found over 1 mile from their home and panting in the hot sun to be shot by police? no prior records, over 100 people in the park and only hours before a HUGE Wine Festival to be held over memorial day? Suspicious indeed… And the only crime the owner of the dogs committed was to not renew her 1-year rabies vaccination before the expire date, many of us responsible dog owners have done the same. Now we have to wonder who in that neighborhood, that was so close to where the 22 pit bulls were found earlier… could of possible trespassed on her property to let out two secured animals to wander?
Bestuvall: I know I caught that “rearing” thing too… Yes, folks with bulldog breeds know Kory Nelson and so of course they know a Kory-clone, or a person who was quite possibly schooled by Kory, when they see one.
El: Oh my gosh, if that’s true, that is nauseating. I mean, just nauseating. And if it’s true that he hired a P.I. then don’t you wonder who paid for that? It would also explain the police scanner.
And, it goes right along with what I’ve been saying about how this incident smells of a set-up. To folks who have been BSL-fighters for any length of time, this is nothing new. We talk about it all the time. It’s pretty typical for a “pit bull” attack that there be more questions than answers.
Like I said, I think there is enough circumstantial evidence here to warrant an investigation. And yes, while the P.I. thing is hearsay, like you said, hearsay about Illinois politicians tends to end up being true. (Blago, George Ryan, Rostenkowski, etc.) But don’t expect the media to investigate. The Daily Herald and the Chicago Tribune seem to keep changing the story over and over.
The likes of K.Nelson the self-proclaimed war hero,M.Bryant of Ontario the cyclist-murderer ,to name but a few of the Monsters out there,now there is a new aspiring one,John Prigge.These people are SICK and must be Stopped.
I do not think it would be a bad move to write to the other coucillors(most do seem reasonable)and ask them to investigate and remove this Lunatic that is creating dissaray amongst the folks of Elgin and bringing the decent councillors into disrepute.
smarock10@yahoo.com
Good word Selwyn! Disrepute is right! That is the perfect word to describe what has happened to the other council members. I feel sorry for councilmen like David Kaptain and John Steffen. To my knowledge, and for as long as I’ve been watching BSL in Illinois, these folks have been opposed to BSL. (Kaptain because he researched it extensively, and Steffen I assume because he’s a lawyer.) Mr. Kaptain and Mr. Steffen in particular stood staunchly against BSL, even when (and maybe especially when) Prigge was trying to strong-arm it through. Hopefully Elgin folks remember that around election time.
And while you are right to say that people should vote out elected officials who disregard the will of the people, you are also right to say that in Prigge’s case, it simply can’t wait. His behavior is just that egregious. But then, I don’t know that Prigge was ever meant to be more than a one-termer.
And I don’t know that it would be his fellow council members who would remove him, although they could if they proposed and passed a recall ordinance. Then it would probably be sent to the voters for a referendum, and then if it passed, he could probably be removed. Something similar was undertaken in a nearby suburb called Buffalo Grove. But, with Prigge, his behavior is so conspicuously bad at this point, I think it would be up to the Illinois Attorney General and/or the FBI to investigate him. And, in my opinion, and certainly others’ opinions, they absolutely should. If they don’t, I fear Elgin residents will be bullied by this man for the duration of his term.
NPBB Can anyone lay such a charge,it seems the best person would be the owner’s of the murdered dogs.There definitely is plenty criminality here,and most points to prigge.Also I reckon the 9 year old that got “pinched by a pit” should be examined by an independant doctor,maybe there is no pinch there or at worst a self-inflicted scratch and a $100 dollar bill in his pocket.This whole issue Stinks of Prigge.
smarock10@yahoo.com
Yes I would think that would also be another approach. And yes, if I were Ms. Torres, I might have to seriously consider a lawsuit if only so I could get some answers; answers as to why the dogs are dead and who’s to blame. And no, that is not me blaming the cops. They may have been just as in the dark as all the rest of us are supposed to be. And where was Elgin’s one Animal Control Officer at the time? And again, that’s not me blaming the police or the ACO, just me asking the obvious questions that haven’t been answered yet. But then, like I said, when you have more questions than answers, it’s probably time for a serious investigation. And under oath, like during a deposition, would Prigge lie? Would city employees lie? Would the police or the ACO lie? They may be forced into not saying anything now for fear of losing their jobs, but that’s not going to fly under oath. The threats of being fired or reprimanded are way less scary than the consequences of perjury.
That reminds me. Did anyone else following this BSL debacle think it was odd that Police Chief Womack let’s just say “resigned” after Prigge’s BSL proposal was shot down in March?
And you raise an interesting point Selwyn. Why did the boy who got “pinched,” as the Tribune put it, not go to the hospital? The dog in question wasn’t vaccinated for rabies we’re told right? So, wouldn’t you want that boy to immediately go and get a series of rabies shots? Wouldn’t you do that as a precaution? The story started out that the boy was attacked and that he was bitten and scratched. So why didn’t he go to the hospital to immediately start his series of rabies shots, which they recommend you get as soon as you’re bitten by an unknown dog or if the dog isn’t vaccinated just as a precaution?
Priggs should be chipped and shipped far,far away from this town!
hi sorry i dont live in elgin but i got to put my hand in on this one i own 5 amazingly wonderfull pitbulls and they have never hurt anybody or anything i have mine around horses, chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, and cats and 3 kids ( age: 1, 2, &3) they have not even once tried to hurt any of these animals or my kids and they were around my kids from the time they came home from the hospital. when are people going to wake up and realize it is not the dog it is how they are raised and trained. A dog is not breed to fight or kill they are trained that way pitbulls were not breed to fight or kill anything especially not humans they are trained that way. Any dog can be trained to bite a stranger or atack another animal. We Blame it on just the breed of dog but what about all these other dogs out there that are being trained for the same stuff. you see the cop shows what about the police dogs they are trained to “Bite” to take a person down what would happen if one of them decided not to listen to his handler Then What is it going to be turned around and blamed on a pitbull type dog like everything else is what alot of people dont see is the none pitbull attacks before you ban a breed think about it wisely because once the banning starts it wont stop with just the pitbull it will keep going until there are no more dogs in the whole world then what is going to be next cats, birds, small critters. once it starts it wont stop any animal can bite a cat, mice, rats, dogs, birds, anything can bite and if threatened or unsafe or trained improperly they will it is an animals only defense they cant call the cops they cant pick up a gun or a knife there weapon and defense is there beaks, jawls, and teeth. Dont make a mistake that will be regreted later on these animals you are trying to ban dont deserve it and dont do anything wrong BAN THE DEED, NOT THE BREED!!!!!