1 suburban Chicago mayor withdraws village key from Lil Durk after arrest, 1 not ready yet
BELLWOOD, Ill. (CBS) -- Just last week, Lil Durk was celebrated by two suburban mayors who even gave the rapper the keys to their villages—and partnered with his foundation.
On Thursday night, Lil Durk—real name Durk Devontay Banks—was arrested in Florida on a murder-for-hire plot. Prosecutors said multiple members of Durk's rap collective and their associates used two cars to "track, stalk, and attempt to murder" rapper Quando Rando at a gas station in Los Angeles.
A Los Angeles shooting missed Rando, but killed Rando's cousin, 24-year-old Saviay'a Robinson, in 2022.
After Durk's arrest, one of those mayors is backtracking.
Bellwood, Illinois Mayor Andre Harvey said he will not take the key back to his village until the legal process plays itself out. Meanwhile in Broadview, Illinois, Mayor Katrina Thompson wasted no time in withdrawing the key to her community from Durk.
At a ceremony last week, both mayors were on hand as Lil Durk was honored with the keys to both Bellwood and Broadview. The mayors took the time to pose for pictures with Lil Durk.
A partnership with the rapper's charity, Neighborhood Heroes Foundation, was announced in front of students from both communities.
"This is a momentous occasion to have Lil Durk with us in our community," Harvey said at the ceremony.
But the symbolic gesture was immediately met with backlash—even before news of Lil Durk's arrest on murder-for-hire charges.
"So are we glorifying that?" said Yvette Green of Bellwood, "Or are we saying that's OK?"
"He's not even from this—he's from the South Side," said Arnettra Westbrooks of Broadview.
Earlier this week, Mayor Thompson defended her decision to give Lil Durk the key to the village at the board meeting.
"I am a mayor, and am proud to have made that connection that is very valuable to our community," Thompson said at a meeting days ago.
Angela Patterson is running for mayor in Broadview.
"It just doesn't send the best message to our residents, to our community," said of the decision to issue the key to Lil Durk and the defense of doing so.
Janel Moreland is the current village clerk in Bellwood and a mayoral candidate.
"You know, so what about the people that have been active in our communities; that have done great things in our communities?" she said.
After Lil Durk was arrested in Florida, Thompson, Mayor Thompson withdrew the honor and severed ties with the Neighborhood Heroes Foundation.
While acknowledging that Durk and other suspects are presumed innocent, village residents have "even higher moral and ethical standards of behavior. And our public partners must also reflect the same uncompromising standards," Thompson wrote on the village's Facebook page. "As mayor, protecting Broadview's interests and upholding the values of residents is job number one."
"I do think it's too late," said Patterson. "I think we should have not given him the key from the beginning."
Bellwood Mayor Harvey said he was surprised to hear of Lil Durk's arrest, but is not ready to take away the key.
He said, "We live in the United States of America where the accused is innocent until proven guilty."
Moreland said she would like to see the key taken away from Lil Durk there too.
"Absolutely," she said. "At least it would show my concern for my community, right? At least it would show, like, I don't condone this."
Harvey said Lil Durk was honored for his work in the community and not his music. Both Harvey and Thompson declined on-camera interviews Friday.
Lil Durk also donated $150,000 to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's campaign. When the mayor was asked Friday if he should return the money, he said:
"As I said, right now we have allegations. He has not been tried."
Mayor Johnson went on to say Lil Durk has been instrumental in helping children in Chicago.