The Department of Homeland Security said two violent criminals with a past that includes kidnapping, domestic violence, and assault, ran into a Gurnee high school in an attempt to evade capture, endangering students in the process.
DHS took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to explain their reasons for entering a school zone and chasing two offenders into Warren Township High School’s O’Plaine Campus early Thursday morning.
In the post, officials said, “Two violent criminal illegal aliens with rap sheets that include kidnapping started a high speed chase, they crashed into multiple cars, recklessly drove into a school parking lot, and fled into the school —endangering students, school staff, the public, and law enforcement officers —trying to evade justice.”
The post continues that, “Their criminal histories includes kidnapping, domestic violence, domestic battery, assault, battery, interfering with report of domestic violence, felony possession of cocaine, violating bail, criminal damage, DUIs resulting in revocation of drivers licenses, and both have previously been removed from the United States.”
Gurnee Police said in a statement Thursday morning that the Gurnee Police Department was notified of an incident involving federal law enforcement agencies in pursuit of a vehicle occupied by individuals who had been previously deported for felony offenses.
Gurnee Public Information Officer Shawn Gaylor said federal agents told police the chase involved two fugitives wanted by federal authorities.
She added that there was a pursuit outside of Gurnee involving multiple crashes in neighboring jurisdictions before the chase entered the Gurnee village limits.
At approximately 8:21 a.m., the fleeing suspect vehicle was traveling at an extremely high rate of speed westbound on Grand Avenue when it lost a tire near the intersection of Grand Avenue and First Street.
The detached tire struck a vehicle traveling eastbound on Grand Avenue, Gaylor said.
The suspect vehicle continued westbound on Grand Avenue before turning south onto O’Plaine Road, near the entrance to Warren Township High School’s O’Plaine Campus at 500 N. O’Plaine Road.
The occupants of the fleeing vehicle exited the car and ran toward the high school, Gaylor said.
One suspect entered the school and was immediately detained by federal agents, Gaylor said.
The second suspect was also quickly taken into custody outside of the school, Gaylor said.
Warren Township High School Superintendent Dr. Daniel Woestman said on social media that the federal agents were at the O’Plaine Campus for three minutes because of the off-campus incident between federal agents and adults.
Woestman said multiple students began exiting an exterior classroom door to walk to another classroom at the O’Plaine Campus when a black truck pursued by federal agents in multiple automobiles pulled into the northeast parking lot.
Woestman said a student was in the crosswalk when the truck pulled in, but moved safely out of the way of the oncoming vehicles.
Seconds later, the black truck stopped, and the suspects exited, Woestman said. The suspects then turned and ran westbound through the O’Plaine north entrance underpass.
Woestman said multiple agents – several of whom were masked – exited their automobiles seconds later and pursued the two suspects.
At 8:18:30 a.m., the first suspect trips, falls, and is apprehended by agents in the parking lot west of the underpass. The second suspect continued running west through the parking lot, Woestman said.
The second suspect ran up the ramp to an exterior door while students were actively walking between classrooms, Woestman said.
The second suspect runs through the door, passing students actively exiting, Woestman said.
Woestman said the suspect was followed by two masked agents.
As the first suspect is led away and into a vehicle at 8:19 a.m., Woestman said, the two agents pursuing the second subject emerge out of the exterior door with the second suspect in handcuffs.
The second suspect was placed inside an automobile, Woestman said, but not before the agent pointed pepper spray at people who had gathered nearby.
All agents began exiting the campus with both suspects in custody seconds later, Woestman said.
Woestman added he spoke with border patrol officials, who confirmed the felony offenses of the individuals who were pursued.
In the DHS post, officials said U.S. Border Patrol agents were conducting a targeted operation to arrest Josafat Garcia-Roa and Samuel Suarez-Cuevas and attempted to conduct a vehicle stop on Dugdale Road.
The ages and addresses of the suspects were not released on social media.
Garcia-Roa, the driver, initially pulled over on Dugdale Road, but then fled at high speed once he realized it was Border Patrol agents, officials said.
During the 10-minute chase, Garcia-Roa hit multiple vehicles and lost a tire, officials said.
The suspects drove on three wheels for several more blocks before the driver pulled into the school parking lot and tried to flee agents on foot.
Garcia-Roa was apprehended in the parking lot, officials said. Suarez, ran into the high school, where he was taken into custody, officials said.
“This incident once again shows the harm of the rhetoric and coverage of our agents,” government officials said. “These two criminal illegal aliens recklessly endangered the public by starting a highspeed car chase and then driving onto school grounds, possibly to seek protection since they are “ICE Free Zones”.”
Officials said in the social media post, “U.S. Border Patrol does not conduct enforcements near schools, but will not allow criminal illegal aliens to put the public in harm’s way.”
To quell rising rumors in the community, Woestman said in his statement, “Federal agents did not come to our school for a student-related issue or concern, no students were apprehended, the two suspects taken into custody are not connected to Warren Township High School District 121.”
He also added, “This was very difficult for many of our staff and students. Please keep those individuals and their families in your thoughts and prayers today.”
Staff members worked with a Gurnee Police Department School Resource Officer at the O’Plaine Campus to ensure the safety of students, staff, and visitors, he said.
According to the district website, the O’Plaine Campus generally houses 9th and 10th-grade students.
Gaylor said the Gurnee Police did not take part in the incident involving the border agents, adding the Gurnee Police Department is prohibited from assisting, supporting, or participating in the enforcement of federal civil immigration laws under the Illinois Trust Act.
Gaylor said the Gurnee Police Department understands that developing situations of this nature can be alarming to students, staff, and parents. Fortunately, no injuries were reported for anyone on campus or to motorists in the area, she added.
“We extend our sincere appreciation to the Warren Township High School staff, students, and parents for their cooperation and patience throughout the incident,” Gaylor said.
Video obtained by the Lake & McHenry County Scanner and posted online shows the federal agents taking the two individuals into custody in the parking lot and pushing them into the back of two separate white SUVs. In the same video, one of the agents points pepper spray at people gathering around.
“I am very grateful for the staff who acted immediately in the best interest of students,” Woestman said.
“WTHS takes these situations very seriously. If you would like to read more about our protocols to protect our students, and/or other resources, we have that available on our website,” Woestman’s statement says.