Two men have been charged after an armed home invasion where a shot was fired and a victim was robbed of his own gun in Gurnee, prompting schools to go on lockdown.
The Gurnee Police Department responded around 11 a.m. Friday to the 100 block of Minthaven Court in Gurnee for an armed robbery.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said a man called 911 to report a masked man entered his home with a gun.
The gunman pulled a gun on the victim and told him, “Give me your s–t and your Playstation,” Katris said.
The victim tried shutting the door and the offender’s gun was discharged, striking the floor. It is unclear if the suspect unintentionally or intentionally fired it.
During the encounter, the victim’s own Glock 43 handgun was stolen from him by the suspects.
Officers set up a perimeter and searched for the suspects, police said.
Katris said officers obtained and reviewed surveillance video that captured Montgomery messing with a camera at the victim’s residence minutes before the home invasion.
The suspects, Jaylen C. Montgomery, 18, of Gurnee, and Curtis Owens, 18, of Chicago, had fled the area in a vehicle and were possibly at the Waukegan Metra station.
The Waukegan Police Department, Gurnee Police Department and the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS) SWAT team responded to the Metra station, located at 95 Spring Street in Waukegan, around 1:30 p.m. Friday.
Officers located three subjects, two of which included Owens and Montgomery. They were all taken into custody.
Katris said that Owens was found in possession of a 9mm handgun and Montgomery was found in possession of the victim’s Glock 43 handgun taken in the robbery.
Montgomery told investigators that Owens gave him the stolen Glock 43.
Montgomery and Owens both do not have Firearm Owner’s Identification cards or concealed carry licenses. They are also both under 21.
The two were charged with one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, a Class 4 felony. The third subject arrested was released without charges.
Lake County Judge Stephen DeRue questioned why the two men were only charged with a Class 4 felony.
Katris said investigators are still working to determine which one was the home invader. He said more serious charges could be filed.
DeRue ordered Montgomery and Owens both held in the Lake County Jail on $200,000 bonds.
The Gurnee Police Department had originally called the armed home invasion an “altercation involving a weapon” and did not mention that any suspects were being sought.
The incident prompted schools and local businesses to be placed on lockdown Friday morning as police responded to the incident.
The Warren Township High School O’Plaine Campus and Viking Middle School were both on soft lockdown until around 12:10 p.m.