Aspiring candidate for Illinois AG's Office robbed at gunpoint

A candidate seeking the Democratic party's nomination to run for Illinois' Attorney General's Office became a victim of a violent robbery on Thursday, according to Fox News reports. Aaron Goldstein, who is currently a Supervising Attorney for Cook County's Public Defender's office and a Ward Democratic committeeman, was in the middle of a neighborhood campaign photoshoot when the robbery happened.

According to reports by authorities and Goldstein's campaign manager, the aspiring Illinois AG, accompanied by several members of his campaign team, were confronted by three gun-toting young men at North Albany Avenue in Albany Park at around 3.25pm.

Relieved of valuables

One of the three robbers then flashed a handgun and proceeded to order Goldstein and his team to surrender all their valuables. The other two robbers then relieved the team of their camera equipment and cellphones before running away, according to police reports. None of Goldstein's four campaign team members or the aspiring candidate were injured during the incident but were shaken by the daylight robbery.

By Thursday evening, no suspects had been arrested in connection with the robbery, according to police.

Security assurance by authorities

Police did not release a detailed description of the three suspects, only divulging that the trio were young men between 20-24 years old.

Speaking to The Chicago Tribune, Goldstein's Campaign Manager, Robert Murphy, who was not present during the robbery, said authorities had assured the candidate that the robbery was not politically motivated. Police described the incident as a random act of violence. Ironically, Goldstein is a resident of Albany Park and the Democratic committeeman for the area, and was there to do a promotional photoshoot for his campaign, aimed at portraying him as a "neighborhood kind of person." Murphy added that despite the incident, Goldstein's campaign would move forward as scheduled.

Goldstein is among a crowded field of eight candidates seeking the Democratic Party ticket to run for the AG's office. This is after the incumbent, Lisa Madigan, declared she would not be seeking re-election for a second term.

On his campaign Facebook page, Goldstein posted a link to the story as reported by The Chicago Tribune, and thanked everyone for their concern, well wishes, thoughts and prayers, and assured his supporters that he was well.