Man Charged In Bizarre Niles Incident Also Heckled Former Mayor Daley, Police Say

Janusz Kopycinski, 32, of West Wellington Street, Chicago, was charged with disorderly conduct Sept. 25 after he entered an aerobics class at X-Sport Fitness, in the 9200 block of Milwaukee Avenue, wearing military fatigues and holding the flame from a lighter directly under his hand, according to police reports.

Kopycinski also pantomimed shooting at the 30 or so women in the class, using his thumb and fingers on both hands to simulate guns, the report indicated.

Some of the women in the class became upset, left the room and advised the club manager of what was happening, the report said. The general manager entered the aerobics classroom and walked toward Kopycinski with the intention of escorting him out, when Kopycinski began shouting in a loud voice and calling the manager a racial epithet, the report indicated. 

Police arrived and found Kopycinski dancing at the front of the class. They handcuffed him as a defensive measure for the class participants, according to the report, and he protested he was just getting some exercise. 

Kopycinski told police he was holding a lighter to his hand "because he wanted to make sure he still has the power," the report said.

Kopycinski is the same man who heckled former Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley at his outgoing public appearance in May 2011, according to the Niles Herald-Spectator. 

In that incident, he was sentenced to three years in prison because a police officer sustained an injury chasing him, according to Huffington Post. 

He was released in November 2012 for time served, the Herald-Spectator said. 

Police told Kopycinski that his membership at the health club had been terminated, and he was no longer welcome on the property, the report indicated.