The vice mayor of Tamuning was attacked Monday just outside the mayor’s office.
Tamuning Vice Mayor Albert Toves says that he was attacked by a homeless person known to the mayor’s office staff.
On Tuesday, the vice mayor and Mayor Louise Rivera told PNC about the incident, as well as their efforts to address the homeless situation in their municipality.
Vice Mayor Toves said that it was around 8:15 Sunday morning when he was told of a man harassing players at the tennis court right outside the mayor’s office.
Toves said that after telling the man he has to leave, the man became belligerent.
“So I just start to walk away to grab my phone to call GPD. As I started to walk, he was sitting there. As I started to walk towards the corner, by the tree, that’s when one of the tennis players goes, ‘Vice Mayor, he’s throwing rocks at you.’ Then I turned around and he threw a second rock, and then after he threw the second rock, he threw a metal fork at me. And they all landed right over there, right next to the corner of the fence. So with that, I called up GPD and I told them they need to respond down here as soon as possible because the gentleman is throwing rocks and metal forks,” Toves said.
Police apprehended the man who was identified as Craig Chiguina Brewer.
Toves said that he was known to frequent the area and had been arrested before.
He said the incident is just one example of how certain homeless individuals who frequent the park have come into conflict with others.
Toves said that the Tamuning mayor’s office works with various organizations to reach out to the homeless and provide services.
The vice mayor said that at times, he brings food and drink out to homeless people himself.
He said that although some take advantage of the resources provided by the mayor’s office, there’s a small percentage who refuse.
“All I’m saying is for these guys…if they’re listening and reading this article and stuff that’s being put out by our mayor’s office…it’s for them to go ahead and take advantage of what we’re trying to help them with. And you know, go with it, because that’s the only way they can better themselves. All they need to do is just come into the office. And talk with us. We have an open-door policy. They can talk to us any time they want,” Toves said.
For her part, Tamuning Mayor Louise Rivera said that her office works with homeless organizations, the Guam Police Department, and the public as part of a multi-pronged approach to the homeless problem.
But she hopes that the families of homeless individuals will start to play a part as well.
“Our plea is to the families of these individuals who are out there. I mean to come and reach out to us so we’ll know better how to help them do what we can to assist them. Help them stop destroying property and affecting others in a bad way,” Rivera said.
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