Prosecutors say a man armed with a rifle, later confirmed to be a pellet gun, approached his neighbor and responding officers with the gun before being tased in Round Lake Beach.
Ismael V. Ortega, 29, of Round Lake Beach, was charged with aggravated battery to a peace officer and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Dino Katris said Ortego went over to his neighbor’s home on July 19.
Katris said Ortego was armed with a rifle with a scope, which was later identified as a pellet gun.
Ortego held the gun and told the woman that the gun was for her husband while mentioning that he could use it to kill him, Katris said.
Ortego left and the woman called 911. The Round Lake Beach Police Department was speaking to the victim when Ortego began approaching.
Katris said Ortego was armed with the replica rifle and officers pulled their guns while ordering Ortego multiple times to drop the weapon.
Ortego refused to drop the gun and continued walking toward them.
An officer deployed a taser at Ortego, who was hit by the taser causing him to drop the gun.
He ran away on foot back to his house, Katris said. A short standoff ensued and Ortego was taken into custody.
Police previously responded to a call involving a different neighbor in June when Ortego threatened to kill the neighbor, Katris said.
Ortego had an active warrant for failing to appear in court at the time of his recent arrest. He also has a third pending case for a battery in May in Lake County.
“This defendant is dangerous and out of control,” Katris said in arguing for Ortego’s detainment in jail.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak ordered Ortego held in the Lake County Jail after granting a petition to detain and petitions for sanctions, which were filed by prosecutors.