Ax-Wielding Clarendon Hills Man Says Victim 'Not Even An American': Cops

WESTMONT, IL – A Clarendon Hills man over the weekend wielded an ax to intimidate a man whom he accused of illegal dumping and questioned his status as an American, police said.

The 51-year-old man, who lives in the 600 block of 56th Place in Clarendon Hills, was cited on a disorderly conduct charge, police said.

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Through a public records request, Patch obtained the police report.

Westmont police were called early Saturday evening to the apartment building that the man owns at 201 S. Cass Ave.

The man told an officer he got into a dispute with a nearby homeowner over garbage. The man said he then exercised with an ax in front of the apartment building, police said.

Asked why he didn't work out at his house in Clarendon Hills, the man said he wanted to show the neighbor how strong he was, according to the report.

Three days earlier, the 51-year-old man called the police when he saw the neighbor's son throw a small bag of garbage into the apartment building's trash can, the report said.

Police learned that the neighbor did not think the man would have had a problem with the garbage issue, given that they were longtime friends.

The 51-year-old man told an officer he did not think carrying an ax in public was an issue because it was a Halloween prop.

But the officer said a reasonable person would believe it was real, according to the report.

The man continued to argue about his right to publicly wield an ax. The officer, though, said the man's actions were intentionally intimidating.

Then the man said of the neighbor, "He's not even an American. That's what pisses me off," according to the report.

The officer said the neighbor's status was irrelevant. The officer then advised the man on how to better handle the dumping.

The man was told he was no longer allowed on the neighbor's property.