Savannah acid attack victim criticizes mayor over comments, police for withholding information
By Greg Coy
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SAVANNAH, Georgia (WJCL) — The woman injured in a December acid attack in Forsyth Park is criticizing Savannah Mayor Van Johnson over remarks she says were speculative and unhelpful, while also faulting police for not publicly releasing a description of a possible suspect.
Ashley Wasielewski, through a family member, said the mayor’s recent comments during his weekly news conference were “irresponsible” and risked distracting from the search for the person who attacked her.
Mayor suggests attack may have been personal During the briefing, Johnson was asked whether the Dec. 10 attack appeared to be random. He said he would leave that determination to police, but added that the case did not make sense to him and that, in his view, an acid attack “is really a really personal thing.”
Johnson also said he was unfamiliar with any similar acid attack in Savannah and noted that officers he had spoken with could not recall one either.
Wasielewski’s family pushed back strongly.
“From our family’s perspective, we want to be very clear — there is no known personal connection between Ashley and her attacker,” the family said in a statement. “The mayor suggesting on multiple occasions that this attack ‘feels personal’ — without any evidence — not only risks shifting focus away from identifying the attacker but directly undermines the need for credible leads.”
The family added that Wasielewski, her relatives and friends were “personally offended and angered” by the mayor’s remarks.
Family says suspect description should be public The family also criticized Savannah police and city officials for not sharing a description of the possible attacker, saying both Wasielewski and a witness had provided information that could help identify him.
A witness, K. Kendal, told WJCL 22 News in January that he saw a man on the same footpath as Wasielewski shortly before the attack. Kendal described him as about 6 feet tall, with what appeared to be dreadlocks, and dressed in black.
Kendal said the man seemed to calm down before screams rang out.
“That is when I heard her screaming, ‘Help me, help me,’” Kendal said.
The family said authorities should release any information that could help the public identify the person responsible. They noted that more than $100,000 in reward money has been offered in the case.
They also said video recently referenced by officials comes from a heat-sensor camera near the park and does not show visually identifiable features of the attacker.
City defends decision not to release video At the same news conference, Johnson backed law enforcement’s decision not to release the video, saying doing so could fuel speculation, generate unreliable tips and drain investigative resources.
He said releasing the footage could also interfere with efforts to build a prosecutable case.
After Wasielewski’s criticism, the mayor’s office issued a statement defending Johnson’s remarks and accusing media outlets of mischaracterizing them.
“I categorically reject any attempt by WJCL, or any other media outlet, to mischaracterize my words, sensationalize, or capitalize off the pain of the victim and victim’s family,” the statement said.
The mayor’s office added that the city’s “top and only priority is finding justice for Ms. Wasielewski” and said that focus would remain unchanged.
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