Chicago alderman calls for opponent to quit race after campaign worker shot

A Facebook live video of a campaign worker being shot on the South Side last weekend has sparked a war of words between 15th Ward Alderman Raymond Lopez and his challenger Joseph Williams.

Williams suggested the alderman could be responsible for the shooting, and Lopez is now calling on Williams to quit the race.

"Today we just want the alderman to stop the harassment,” Williams said.

Williams calls himself the victim in the escalating war of words with Lopez.

"It's insulting to the people of the ward,” Lopez said.

Lopez went on Good Day Chicago to blast Williams for suggesting Lopez could be responsible for Sunday’s shooting that wounded campaign volunteer Maxwell Justice, who was canvassing for Williams in West Englewood when it was captured on Facebook live.

"I would like for the record to reflect that I never stated that Alderman Lopez was involved in the shooting,” Williams said.

But this is what Williams said earlier this week when asked about it: "I don't put anything past the incumbent. I don't think this is something the incumbent would have not probably done."

Lopez tells Good Day Chicago it's time for Williams to get out of the race.

"What I think he's done is diminish the office that we're running for. And I think he needs to remove himself immediately. Because anything he does moving forward, this will be the distraction from running the campaign that any of us want to see,” Lopez said.

"There is no way we will step down out of this race. Part of the reason I'm running is to help decrease the crime that we have,” Williams said.

The campaign worker who was shot in the leg is recovering. Police have not yet made any arrests.