A judge has ordered a gang member detained pending trial after video captured an officer investigating a suspicious vehicle in Round Lake encountering the gunman, who quickly turned aggressive and yelled at the officer to shoot him.
A Round Lake Police Department officer was on patrol around 1:24 a.m. Saturday in the 300 block of Cedar Lake Road in Round Lake.
The police sergeant noticed what appeared to be a person slumped over in the driver’s seat of a parked van, according to Round Lake Police Chief David Prus.
The van was parked in front of a licensed liquor establishment, which was closed at the time.
The sergeant approached the vehicle, a Caliber Auto Glass van, and opened the car door to check on the person’s well-being.
The sergeant quickly noticed that the man was holding a gun in his right hand on his lap.
The suspect, identified as Javier Lopez, 33, of Hainesville, was ordered to drop the firearm and place his hands on the steering wheel.
Lopez initially put the gun down next to him. The officer held the suspect at gunpoint and requested emergency backup.
Within 25 seconds, Lopez suddenly went from calm to yelling at the officer, who told the man not to touch the gun.
Lopez continued acting aggressively and yelling as the officer warned him not to grab the gun or he would be shot.
The officer repeatedly told the suspect he was under arrest and to exit the car but he refused to comply.
Backup officers arrived and the standoff continued, with Lopez repeatedly screaming at the officers to shoot him while taunting and threatening them.
An officer successfully deployed a taser, allowing officers to physically remove Lopez from the vehicle and safely take him into custody.
A further investigation revealed Lopez is a documented gang member and convicted felon with multiple prior arrests. The work van he was driving was not stolen.
The recovered firearm was a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun. Lopez was arrested and transported to an area hospital for evaluation.
He has since been released from the hospital and transported to the Round Lake Police Department for booking.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges of felon in possession of a weapon, four counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon and resisting a peace officer.
“This is yet another example of the type of high-risk incident our officers may face at any given moment. Our well-trained police force remains steadfast in its commitment to serve and safeguard the community, responding to calls for service with courage and professionalism,” Prus said.
Prus said the department trains as a whole every three months and he credits the training to the positive outcome, saying he is “super proud” of his officers who remained calm under pressure.
Lopez was transported to First Appearance Court on Saturday morning and the state’s attorney’s office filed a petition to detain him pending trial, arguing he poses a real and present danger to the community.
A detention hearing was held on Monday afternoon and a judge granted the petition.
Lopez remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on December 23 for a preliminary hearing.