Dearborn City Councilman Claims He Was 'Punched In The Face'

DEARBORN, MI — Dearborn City Councilman Michael Sareini is claiming he and his mother were physically attacked by two men Monday evening following funeral services for a friend in the city. In a statement dated March 14, Sareini said they were “verbally harassed,” his mother assaulted and he was “punched in the face.”

Sareini, elected to his first term on Council in 2013, declined to name his attackers in the statement. Repeated attempts by Patch to verify the incident with the Dearborn Police Department and confirm if a police report had been filed were unsuccessful. Sareini did not return phone calls from Patch seeking additional details about the alleged incident.

In his statement, Sareini indicated the attack was somewhat of a surprise. “When I took the oath office to serve as a member of the Dearborn City Council, I knew I would be put in situations that would call on me to stand up for what’s right,” he wrote. “I knew I would be faced with tough decisions. I knew there would be sacrifices. What I did not expect is for those sacrifices to escalate to the level of my loved one’s safety.”

The Dearborn Press & Guide reported that the incident occurred at about 7:30 p.m. Monday outside the Islamic Institute of Knowledge on Schaefer Road in Dearborn. The extent of injuries to Suzanne Sareini, a retired Dearborn City Council Pro-Tem who served on the Council for 24 years, are unknown.

Sareini said he would “not fold to any individual who attempts to intimidate my family or me.” Nor would the incident change how he conducts the city’s business, he wrote. “I am unwavering in my commitment to Dearborn and will continue to make decisions grounded in moral principle and strong ethics.”

Photo courtesy City of Dearborn