Person tried to set fire to Chicago City Hall, mayor says

Investigation underway after attempted arson outside Chicago City Hall

An investigation is underway after someone tried to set fire to Chicago City Hall late Friday night, Mayor Brandon Johnson said Monday.

CHICAGO - An investigation is underway after someone tried to set fire to Chicago City Hall last week, Mayor Brandon Johnson said Monday.

What we know:

The incident happened around 11 p.m. Friday outside City Hall, according to Johnson. Security footage shows an unidentified person setting fire to the outside of the building before fleeing the area.

Johnson said the fire did not spread beyond the initial flames, and that a Chicago police officer was on duty to monitor the situation.

What we don't know:

Officials have not released a description of the person seen in the video or said whether investigators have identified any suspects.

"While we do not know the motives of this attempted arson, it goes without saying that this type of violence has no place in our politics. While we may have strong disagreements on various issues, there is never any acceptable use of violence in a democracy," Johnson said. "This is an active criminal investigation and we will provide updates as they become available."