A judge ordered a convicted felon held on a $10 million bond after he allegedly fired shots at law enforcement officers while they were trying to carry out a search warrant in Waukegan.
Alvaro Grijalva, 29, of Waukegan, was the subject of a long-term investigation being conducted by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Group (SIG), according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
The SIG was also working in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Chicago Field Division.
Undercover detectives acquired numerous illegally possessed firearms sold by Grijalva during the investigation, Covelli said.
Grijalva is a convicted felon and documented street gang member.
SIG detectives on June 15 reviewed the initial facts of the case with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office and obtained an arrest warrant charging the man with gunrunning and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.
A Lake County judge set bond on the warrant at $2 million.
Detectives also obtained a search warrant for Grijalva’s residence, which was conducted in the early morning hours of Tuesday.
Members of the ATF and SIG approached Grijalva’s residence in the 800 block of Cummings Avenue in Waukegan.
Law enforcement received information that Grijalva had gone into the rear door minutes prior, Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeffrey Facklam said.
Facklam said ATF teams of officers were positioned at the residence’s two doors.
Covelli said they announced they were the police and had a search warrant, at which point Grijalva shot at them.
Grijalva fired twice out of a back door, nearly striking two ATF agents, Covelli said. “Fortunately, no law enforcement officers were struck by the gunfire or wounded,” he said.
Facklam said one of the bullets went through the back door and struck a garage.
The second bullet was located lodged into the wall of the residence.
Members of the ATF Special Response Team made entry into Grijalva’s home and took him into custody.
“Today’s arrest illustrates the danger ATF Agents and our law enforcement partners face every day when investigating violent offenders,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division.
“I commend the Lake County Sheriff and his team at SIG for their partnership while investigating this case with ATF in order to hold violent offenders accountable,” Amon said.
Facklam said a .40 caliber firearm was recovered and two spent shell casings in the home.
A gunshot residue test was performed on Grijalva which showed he was presumed positive for gunshot residue.
Grijalva admitted to investigators he knew police were outside at the time of the incident, Facklam said.
Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said he was “incredibly grateful” the law enforcement officers were not shot or injured during the operation.
“This incident underscores the dangers and risks our law enforcement officers face every day while keeping the community safe. I am very proud of our ATF partners and SIG members took this violent, extremely dangerous criminal into custody,” Idleburg said.
Grijalva was transported to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the incident and approved five counts of attempted first-degree murder, five counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and enhanced unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.
“This attack on law enforcement will be answered by our office with the most serious charges that are supported by the law and by the facts. We will do everything we can to make sure that this offender is not able to harm or threaten harm to anyone in our community again,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said.
Covelli said the Zion Police Department and Waukegan Police Department were of “significant assistance” throughout this investigation.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak ordered Grijalva, who is a convicted felon, held on a $10 million bond.
Grijalva is being held in the Lake County Jail and would need to post 10% of his bond to be released.