A contentious meeting of the Irondequoit Town Board last month has resulted in allegations that Supervisor Rory Fitzpatrick slammed a door and fractured a board member's wrist.
At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Town Board member Patrina Freeman described the incident with Fitzpatrick and said it was the latest in a series of "escalating incidents of harassment, intimidation, and mistreatment." Self Closing Hinges Heavy Duty
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Freeman's attorney, Nate McMurray said Freeman has attempted to resolve these issues peacefully, but that those efforts have been opposed.
"If this can happen to Ms. Freeman, if town officials can be this dismissive of her concerns," McMurray asked, "what would they do to you if you came to the town seeking help? How would they treat you considering how they have treated Ms. Freeman?", McMurray said.
Freeman, whose right wrist was in a cast as she addressed a gathering of reporters, said the incident happened at a Town Board meeting on September 20.
The board has adjourned to executive session and Freeman said that the supervisor became upset when she asked for copies of documents related to a sensitive matter that was being discussed.
"At that point, Supervisor Rory Fitzpatrick got aggressive and angrily pushed his chair back from the table and walked in the direction of the door. Once behind where I was sitting, he threatened me by saying 'be careful,'" Freeman said Tuesday. "Supervisor Fitzpatrick stormed out of the conference room with me right behind him as I was sitting nearest to the door. The supervisor got to the door first, opened the door forcefully, walked through, and then slammed the door on me, effectively hitting my hand and fracturing my wrist."
Freeman filed a police report the next day. In a statement she gave to police, Freeman said that she informed the Town attorney of the incident at the conclusion of the meeting and sought medical attention the next morning.
At the press conference Tuesday, Freeman was flanked by more than a dozen supporters, including Monroe County legislator Rachel Barnhart, Brighton Town Board member Robin Wilt, and Rochester City Councilperson Mary Lupien.
Freeman concluded her remarks to the press by describing Fitzpatrick as "a bully" and calling on him to resign.
"What happened to me that evening and the behavior that led to it is categorically unacceptable, especially coming from an elected official," Freeman said.
In a statement shared with members of the media Tuesday morning, Fitzpatrick categorically denied Freeman’s allegations.
"Councilwoman Freeman filed a report with the Irondequoit Police Department, which conducted an investigation," the statement said. "After interviewing witnesses and reviewing video recordings, the police department determined that there was no evidence to substantiate the claim."
In the statement, Fitzpatrick said he regretted that the "baseless accusation" was distracting from the important business of the town.
In a police report that was provided at the press conference Tuesday, Fitzpatrick told an investigator with the Irondequoit Police Department that Freeman had become upset during the meeting. He said that he left the conference room before everyone else.
"He said he did not believe anyone was behind him at the time he left," the investigator wrote in the report. "He denied slamming the door and was never made aware of any injuries that Patrina had allegedly sustained."
The investigator noted in the report that the door "has a self-closing door hinge making it difficult to slam shut." The report also said that there were no video cameras in the area where the incident occurred, and a review of a video recording of the remainder of the Town Board meeting showed no indication that Freeman had been injured.
No charges have been filed and the police report concludes by saying "no further action will be taken."
Freeman was first elected in 2019 and is the first Black woman to serve on the Irondequoit Town Board. In February, she filed a notice of claim that she intended to file a lawsuit against the town, alleging instances of both race and gender discrimination.
The claim said that since taking office, Freeman had experienced “illegal discrimination, a hostile work environment, and illegal retaliation.” She is seeking $1 million in compensatory damages. A formal lawsuit has not yet been filed, according to court records.
Fitzpatrick, an Irondequoit native, began his first term as Irondequoit's supervisor in 2022. He is perhaps best known for his long professional hockey career. Originally drafted by the Montreal Canadians in 1993, Fitzpatrick would play for six different NHL teams over 10 seasons. The defenseman saw most of his playing time with the Buffalo Sabres, and was a fan favorite during five seasons with the Rochester Americans.
Beginning in 2012, Fitzpatrick and his wife owned and operated the popular Cooper Deli in Irondequoit. The eatery closed earlier this year after more than 70 years in business when its lease was not renewed.
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Hydraulic Hinge For Wooden Door Contact reporter Sean Lahman at slahman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @seanlahman.