Illinois State Police is investigating a 2025 incident involving a Joliet City Council member who is accused in a lawsuit of physically attacking a man without justification at Andy & Sophie’s bar.

The Joliet Police Department will not publicly disclose their reports on the incident because they are “part of an active criminal investigation being conducted by the Illinois State Police.”

“Release of these records at this time would interfere with ongoing law enforcement proceedings,” according to the department’s response to Shaw Local’s Freedom of Information Act request.

Sgt. Dwayne English, the department’s spokesman, said on Tuesday that the investigation was referred to Illinois State Police “due to a potential conflict of interest stemming” from Clement’s position on the city council.

Clement is a retired Joliet police officer who chairs the city council’s public safety meeting, which reviews spending, contracts and ordinances related to the police department.

He also once worked at Andy & Sophie’s bar.

Illinois State Police did not respond to questions from Shaw Local regarding the investigation and it is not clear when it began.

Patrick W. Walsh, who owns Andy & Sophie’s and is also an attorney, has denied the accusations against Clement.

Clement said Tuesday that he has not been contacted by Illinois State Police or Joliet police about the incident at Andy & Sophie’s.

“I don’t know,” he said when asked about a state police investigation into the matter. “That’s the craziest thing that I’ve heard. I don’t know anything about that. We’ll have to see about that.”

“The only thing I heard about is the civil suit,” Clement added. “I’m kind of surprised. It’s the craziest thing I heard. We shall see.”

The civil lawsuit Clement referred to was filed by attorneys for Alejandro Barron on April 10, 2026 at the Will County Courthouse.

Barron is suing Clement, John Riley, an “unidentified intoxicated person” and the company that operates Andy & Sophie’s bar, 931 N. Hickory St., Joliet.

The lawsuit alleged “on or about” April 11, 2025, Barron witnessed Clement, Riley and/or an unidentified intoxicated person “sexually harassing and/or groping a female bartender” and Barron “recorded a video of said misconduct on his cellphone.”

Barron’s lawsuit alleged when Clement, Riley and the third person became aware that Barron “had made such recording,” they “threatened physical violence against and toward” Barron and then physically attacked him.

The lawsuit alleged Clement, Riley and the unidentified intoxicated person “took possession” of Barron’s cellphone and “refused and continue to refuse to return” the phone to Barron.

“My client does still have a copy of the video but I do not plan to share it at this time,” said Ian Barney, Barron’s attorney.

The city provided Shaw Local a copy of the April 11, 2025 patient care report regarding Barron in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

The partially redacted report said an ambulance went to the location of Andy & Sophie’s because a “patient was involved in an altercation inside the bar.”

“The patient stated he was scratched and grabbed by his neck during the altercation. The patient stated he was also punched and thrown around. The patient was complaining of neck pain. [Joliet police] advised that they were talking with the patient when he fell to the ground briefly becoming unconscious,” according to the patient care report.

The nature of the call was “unconscious/fainting.”

The report stated the patient acuity, or the measurement for intensity of nursing care, is “lower acuity,” which means a patient is in stable condition requiring lower intensity care.

The police department has denied disclosure of body camera video of the incident but did release video that showed a squad vehicle following an ambulance leaving the area next to Andy & Sophie’s.

Last week, Clement told Shaw Local, “I’m going to let the court system run its course. He added, “I’m trying to protect this woman.”

Clement no longer works at Andy & Sophie’s. He said he left about four months after the Barron incident.

Asked about whether Barron was beaten up that night, Walsh said, “I don’t think the evidence is going to show that.” He went on to say about Barron, “I don’t think he was beat up but I wasn’t there.”

Walsh said Barron’s lawsuit “has no merit.”

“The evidence will show that the plaintiff was taking photographs of a woman’s backside and women were uncomfortable,” Walsh said.

He said the incident was reported to Clement and there was a text that “contained the picture of the woman’s backside.”

“Mr. Clement reasonably and appropriately addressed the situation when he asked the plaintiff leave. Mr. Clement’s actions were lawful and appropriate under the circumstances,” Walsh said.

In response to Walsh’s comments, Barney said, “We intend to litigate this case in the courtroom rather than in the press.”

“The facts are on our side and the truth will prevail,” Barney said.