A domestic altercation in West Chicago Thursday evening escalated to the point where SWAT and crisis negotiators were required to persuade a gun-brandishing resident to exit his home.
According to West Chicago Police, at approximately 9:05pm, officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1000 block of Allen Avenue following reports of an altercation occurring outside. Officers learned that during the dispute, a 25-year-old male had allegedly brandished a firearm before entering his home.
While officers successfully assisted family members in exiting the residence, the suspect remained inside and refused to cooperate with police commands. It was further determined that a female juvenile was still inside the home with the subject.
The DuPage MERIT “METRO” SWAT, Crisis Negotiations, Drone, and K9 teams responded to the scene to assist in a peaceful resolution. Negotiators attempted to communicate with the suspect for several hours. While he remained uncooperative, officials briefly established contact with the female juvenile but were unable to get her to exit the residence. Investigators learned that the juvenile was a neighbor who had entered the residence with the suspect in an attempt to diffuse the initial confrontation before police arrived.
After several hours, both the suspect and the juvenile exited the home, after which the suspect was taken into custody without incident, and the juvenile was released to her parents. Following the apprehension, officers located the firearm inside the residence.
The suspect has been charged with Possession of Firearm-No Valid FOID Card on Person-Not Eligible (a Class 3 Felony). He was transported to the DuPage County Jail and appeared in court Friday afternoon, where Judge Dieden granted his pretrial release.
