Laguna Niguel Councilman Resigns When Gunshots Fired At Office

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA — Fearing for his safety, Jerry Slusiewicz abruptly resigned from the Laguna Niguel City Council via letter of resignation on Tuesday.

"Serving the citizens of Laguna Niguel has been a privilege, and I am grateful to the taxpayers who twice elected me their advocate," he wrote in the resignation letter. "This has shaken us to the core. Considering the events of the last 48 hours, we have decided that it would be unwise for me to remain on city council."

The councilmember who has recently been in conflict with city staff and the rest of the council over the past several months and stepped down as mayor in August, sent the resignation letter to City Clerk Eileen Gomez an hour before the start of the regular City Council meeting.

"Yet, my greatest commitment has always been to my family and my highest honor serving as a husband and a father," he wrote.

According to Orange County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Matthew Barr, a call from Slusiewicz's office came in at approxiately 8:30 a.m. Monday morning.

"Deputies who arrived at the offices, a business complex across Alicia Parkway from the Laguna Niguel City Hall, there was a hole in window of the Councilmember's office," Barr told Patch. "There was no other hole, and the ID bureau was unable to locate any projectile at the scene."

An investigation into the matter was made, and so far there are no suspects, according to Barr. While it is not certain if the hole was a bullet or not, Slusiewicz was concerned enough to call it quits with his civic duties.

Investigators are looking into the case, and there was no suspect as of Tuesday night, he said.

While a somber meeting followed after the reading of the resignation letter, there was celebration in the swearing in of the new Laguna Niguel mayor and mayor pro tem.

City of Laguna Niguel, photo