Charges have been filed against a suspect accused of shoving a loaded gun into a teenager’s stomach and then crashing while fleeing from police, prompting a large search effort in Harvard Saturday.
The Harvard Police Department responded around 9:05 p.m. Saturday to a parking lot in the 400 block of North Division Street for a report of an altercation.
Harvard Police Chief Tyson Bauman said it was reported to be a verbal altercation that escalated when an offender produced a handgun.
The offender pointed the gun at the 18-year-old victim before fleeing.
The incident was reported to have occurred earlier in a parking lot in the 300 block of South Division Street, Bauman said.
Officers also learned the suspect was currently on a motorcycle in the 21000 block of McGuire Road, which is east of Route 14.
Officers responded to the 21000 block of McGuire Road and the suspect was located in a parking lot.
Court records identified the suspect as Jesus J. Figueroa, 24, of Harvard.
Bauman said officers attempted a traffic stop on the motorcycle but Figueroa attempted to flee.
The suspect then crashed at the entry/exit of the parking lot and fled on foot into a nearby field.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office was requested to assist in the search. A drone and canine unit also responded, Bauman said.
The sheriff’s office issued an alert around 10:30 p.m. warning people to avoid the area of Route 14 and McGuire Road until further notice due to the heavy police activity.
Around 12:10 a.m., the sheriff’s office said the incident had concluded and normal traffic could resume.
Bauman said Figueroa was not located following the extensive search but a firearm was recovered along with the suspect’s motorcycle.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said Figueroa was masked when he shoved a loaded Tauirus G2C 9mm semi-automatic pistol to the victim’s stomach.
An arrest warrant was obtained for Figueroa charging him with unlawful use of a firearm while hooded, masked or robed and two counts of resisting a peace officer.
The incident remains under investigation by the Harvard Police Department and Figueroa is not in the custody of the McHenry County Jail as of Wednesday.