A newly released video captured two illegal immigrants, who DHS said have violent backgrounds, running into a high school in Gurnee following a high-speed chase with federal agents.
The incident unfolded around 8:20 a.m. on October 30 at Warren Township High School’s O’Plaine Campus, 500 North O’Plaine Road in Gurnee.
The Gurnee Police Department said they were notified that federal law enforcement was in pursuit of a vehicle occupied by individuals who had been previously deported for felony offenses.
Gurnee Police Department Public Information Officer Shawn Gaylor said federal agents told police the chase involved two fugitives wanted by the federal government.
Gaylor said that the pursuit began outside of Gurnee and involved multiple crashes in neighboring jurisdictions.
Court documents show the pursuit traveled through Waukegan, North Chicago, Park City and then into Gurnee.
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.
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.
The second suspect was also quickly taken into custody outside of the school, Gaylor said.
DHS said the two “violent criminal illegal aliens” had criminal backgrounds, refused to stop for agents, crashed into multiple cars, recklessly drove into the school parking lot and fled into the school — “endangering students, school staff, the public, and law enforcement officers —trying to evade justice.”
DHS said their criminal histories include kidnapping, domestic violence, domestic battery, assault, battery, interfering with the reporting of domestic violence, felony possession of cocaine, violating bail, criminal damage and driving under the influence.
Both have previously been removed from the United States.
Warren Township High School Superintendent Dr. Daniel Woestman said that the federal agents were at the O’Plaine Campus for approximately three minutes.
Woestman said multiple students began exiting an exterior classroom door to walk to another classroom at the O’Plaine Campus when the black truck pursued by federal agents in multiple vehicles pulled into the northeast parking lot.
Woestman said a student was in the crosswalk when the truck pulled in but safely moved out of the way of the oncoming vehicles.
Seconds later, the black truck stopped, and the suspects exited, Woestman said. The suspects turned and ran westbound through the O’Plaine north entrance underpass.
Woestman said multiple agents — several of whom were masked — exited their vehicles seconds later and pursued the two suspects.
The first suspect tripped and fell at 8:18 a.m. and was apprehended by agents in the parking lot west of the underpass. The second suspect continued running west through the parking lot.
The second suspect ran up the ramp to an exterior door while students were actively walking between classrooms, Woestman said.
The second suspect ran through the door, passing students actively exiting, Woestman said.
The suspect was followed by two masked agents who were able to take him into custody before they exited the school.
The second suspect was placed inside a vehicle, Woestman said, but not before an agent pointed pepper spray at people who had gathered nearby.
All agents began exiting the campus with both suspects in custody seconds later.
Woestman spoke with Border Patrol officials, who confirmed the felony offenses of the individuals who were pursued.
DHS identified the suspects as Josafat Garcia-Roa and Samuel Suarez-Cuevas, who were part of a “targeted operation,” and said the agents first attempted to conduct a vehicle stop on Dugdale Road in Waukegan.
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, DHS 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. Suarez ran into the high school where he was taken into custody.
“This incident once again shows the harm of the rhetoric and coverage of our agents,” DHS said.
“These two criminal illegal aliens recklessly endangered the public by starting a high-speed car chase and then driving onto school grounds, possibly to seek protection since they are ‘ICE Free Zones.'”
Officials said U.S. Border Patrol does not conduct enforcement 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 a 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.”
“This was very difficult for many of our staff and students. Please keep those individuals and their families in your thoughts and prayers today,” he added.
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, the O’Plaine Campus houses 9th and 10th-grade students.
Gaylor said Gurnee police did not take part in the incident involving the immigration agents, adding that the Gurnee Police Department is prohibited from assisting, supporting or participating in the enforcement of federal civil immigration laws under the Illinois Trust Act.
No injuries were reported to anyone on campus or to motorists in the area.
Lake and McHenry County Scanner obtained surveillance videos from the school this week in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
Court records show Garcia-Roa, who was removed from the United States previously in August 2016, was charged in federal court with re-entry of deported aliens but prosecutors have since dismissed the case.
Neither Garcia-Roa nor Suarez-Cuevas are listed as being in ICE custody as of Wednesday.