‘HE CAME AT ME’

Alabama Official Arrested for Allegedly ‘Sucker-Punching’ Mayor

Tarrant city councilman Tommy Bryant previously came under fire for calling the same mayor he is accused of attacking a “house n----r” during a council meeting.

An Alabama city councilman was arrested Monday for allegedly attacking the mayor during a city council meeting. Tarrant city councilman Tommy Bryant, who was urged to resign last year by the Alabama Democratic Party for referring to the same mayor using the N-word, is accused of “striking” Mayor Wayman Newton “in the presence of several witnesses including Chief Wendell Major,” the Tarrant Police Department said. Newton said he’d been approaching the police chief to speak to him when Bryant attacked him. “He started attacking me and verbally assaulting me,” he said in comments published by AL.com. “We exchanged words and then he came at me. He sucker-punched me.” Bryant was charged Monday with harassment and released on a $1,000 bond. Newton said he believes the charge should be for assault, pointing to “veiled threats” Bryant had made against him.