Sheriff’s officials say three teenagers armed with an AK-style rifle and a pistol were arrested after they fled from a traffic stop in Zion while also possessing drugs.
A Lake County sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle around 8:15 p.m. Sunday in the area of 27th Street and Galilee Avenue in Zion.
The vehicle, which committed a traffic infraction, was occupied by a 17-year-old male driver and two 17-year-old male passengers, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said.
All three appeared “unusually nervous” and were evasive in their responses. The deputy requested a canine unit to assist.
The occupants were asked to exit the vehicle after the canine unit arrived.
Covelli said one of the assisting deputies began to pat down the front seat passenger and felt a firearm in the passenger’s waistband.
The boy immediately attempted to flee on foot but the deputy tackled him and took him into custody.
A loaded pistol with an extended magazine, containing 23 hollow-point rounds, was recovered from the teen, Covelli said.
The driver fled on foot during the struggle but stopped when the deputy announced he would deploy a taser.
The back seat passenger also fled on foot and after a short foot chase, sheriff’s deputies were able to apprehend him.
Covelli said a search of the vehicle revealed a loaded 7.62 caliber AK-style rifle with a 30-round magazine.
Deputies also located approximately 75 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, cannabis and drug packaging materials.
All three, who are from Chicago, Lindenhurst and unincorporated Antioch, were transported to the Hulse Juvenile Detention Center near Vernon Hills.
Sheriff’s deputies petitioned all three to juvenile court on the charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and resisting arrest, Covelli said. Additional charges are pending for the drugs found.