A man was arrested after he was reported to have shot a rifle, which turned out to be a pellet gun, towards another person in Wonder Lake, leading to a brief standoff Wednesday.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and Wonder Lake Police Department responded around 2:12 p.m. Wednesday to a 911 call for a report of a man shooting a rifle in the 7500 block of Salem Road in Wonder Lake.
The victim advised the 911 dispatcher that the suspect discharged the rifle at him from inside his home, police said.
Responding officers established a perimeter around the suspect’s residence to contain him and provide safety to area residents.
The school district was contacted to ensure that school bus routes would be diverted from the area.
The initial perimeter was secured and officers used a PA system to communicate with the suspect, police said.
The suspect exited his residence after several minutes and was taken into custody by law enforcement.
Officers learned the suspect, Paul S. Bialek, 55, of Wonder Lake, discharged an air rifle because he was reportedly upset about his neighbor’s dogs barking.
The air rifle was recovered by officers. Bialek was transported to the McHenry County Jail.
Wonder Lake Police Chief Lee Redlin said officers used “excellent tactics” to contain the threat and ensure the public’s safety.
“They were able to utilize superior communication skills to deescalate the situation and obtain a peaceful conclusion. While we were relieved to learn the weapon used was an air rifle and not a real firearm, there is no excuse to cause panic and endanger others,” Redlin said.
Bialek was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, a Class A misdemeanor.
He was released from the jail Wednesday evening and is scheduled to appear in court on March 15.