Baltimore development authority leader fired after confrontation with artist captured in social video

The executive director of a Baltimore development authority whose verbal brawl with a local artist was captured on video has been fired, the organization confirmed Friday.

Chad Williams led the West North Avenue Development Authority, an entity created by Maryland law to manage funds appropriated by the city and state to revitalize part of West Baltimore.

An Instagram post that circulated this week showed Williams, who is a state government official, in a heated exchange with an artist about Williams’ behavior toward women. Several times, Williams curses at the artist. At one point, an associate of Williams tries to pull him away.

In 2023, Williams was charged in Nevada, where he previously worked, with domestic battery. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count in that case and was given six months of probation and had to perform community service and take domestic violence classes, according to Nevada court documents.

The statement from the authority’s board on Friday did not give a reason for his dismissal.

Williams could not immediately be reached for comment.

“The WNADA Board determined that this is the appropriate time for a leadership transition as we move into the next phase of the organization’s work,” Vice Chairman Harry Coker Jr., who also is the state secretary of commerce, wrote in a statement to The Banner. “We expect to announce new executive leadership shortly.”

The authority focuses on housing, economic development and transportation, with support from politicians, community partnerships, and anchor institutions such as Coppin State University.

Coppin State representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

Williams previously told The Banner he was looking forward to the authority “giving people hope and opportunity in West Baltimore so that they can continue to live, stay and invest in their neighborhoods.”

State Sen. Antonio Hayes, who grew up in West Baltimore, and Del. Marlon Amprey championed the 2021 legislation that established the authority. Hayes could not immediately be reached for comment.

Amprey, who is a nonvoting member of the board, said quorum was met at a Thursday morning meeting where the board voted to terminate Williams.

“The board felt it was in the best interest to move on from Mr. Williams and find new leadership,” Amprey said. He did not explain what was behind the board’s decision.

Coppin State President Anthony Jenkins informed Williams of the termination Thursday, Amprey said.

“I’ve had no further conversations with Dr. Jenkins about how that meeting went, but I know that that took place yesterday,” he said.

“The goal here is we want to make sure that the focus, and the work, the reason we built this institution, was to heal the harm that was put on West Baltimore from the years of Jim Crow and white supremacy,” Amprey added.

Prior to his appointment as executive director of the West North Avenue Development Authority, Williams served as executive director of the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority in Las Vegas.

There, he led a $150 million annual operating authority with 240 employees, according to the WNADA website.

Williams received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of the District of Columbia, the website says.