Darby’s mayor assaulted a borough councilman after a public meeting, DA says

The mayor of Darby has been charged with assault for allegedly attacking a borough councilman after a public meeting earlier this month, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Mayor Darren Burrell, 42, was arrested Wednesday morning and arraigned on simple assault, reckless endangerment, and related charges. He was released on $35,000 unsecured bail, and ordered not to have any contact with Omar Thompson, the councilman he’s accused of punching.

Burrell did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. His lawyer, Donald Chisholm, said that the case was “an open matter” and that it was “best to let the court sort it out.”

“Too many stories from too many mouths end up not giving the correct amount of verifiable information,” Chisholm said.

Burrell, who was elected mayor of the nearly 11,000-person borough in 2021, got into a “heated” argument with Thompson, 36, during a closed-door, informational meeting before the borough council meeting on Nov. 2, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest.

It was unclear exactly what the two argued about, but the affidavit said they had been discussing “traffic control and vehicular issues” in Darby.

The public meeting followed without any issues, the affidavit said. When the meeting ended, as members of the public were leaving borough hall, Burrell asked if he could speak with Thompson.

The two men sat about 15 feet apart, when, abruptly, Burrell walked up to Thompson and began to punch him, the affidavit said. The brawl, which lasted for a few moments, was observed by members of the public, as well as two other councilpersons, according to the document.

Thompson was later taken to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital and treated for a concussion, as well as injuries to his right hand, left leg, and left elbow, the affidavit said.

Thompson did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday about the incident.