Officers chased down and arrested a convicted felon who tried to ditch a stolen gun after authorities say he fired multiple shots along Route 41 in Gurnee.
The Gurnee Police Department responded around 6:45 a.m. on July 28 to the area of Route 41 and Route 132 in Gurnee for a call of shots fired.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Hillary Price Cohen said a 911 caller had reported there was a male Hispanic wearing a white shirt and sunglasses who had pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots.
The caller reported the subject was walking on the side of the road and had been shooting at street signs along Route 41 south of Grand Avenue.
The caller also said that the gunman had discharged four or five shots at the street sign and the tree line, Price Cohen said.
A second person, wearing red and black pajama pants, was reported to be accompanying the gunman.
Police officers arrived in the area and observed two male subjects matching the description.
A police sergeant got out of his squad and ordered the subjects to stop but one of them, later identified as Ricardo Feliciano-Diaz, 36, of Gurnee, began running away on foot, Price Cohen said.
He fled westbound on Grand Avenue and was taken down after running 30-40 yards.
Price Cohen said officers saw Feliciano-Diaz grabbing at his waistband while running on the sidewalk and a “clank” on the ground that sounded like metal hitting concrete.
A firearm was recovered on the sidewalk in Feliciano-Diaz’s path of flight.
The recovered firearm was a CZ P-10 9mm pistol with an inserted 15-round magazine, which was holding 10 rounds with a round in the chamber. The gun had been reported stolen, Price Cohen said.
Officers inspected the speed limit sign on Route 41 just south of Grand Avenue.
The speed limit sign had three distinct holes, consistent with a 9mm bullet hole.
Three shell casings were located near the speed limit sign, Price Cohen said. The shell casings matched the ammunition located in the firearm.
The second person who was with Feliciano-Diaz was interviewed and said the two were going to a gas station when he was walking behind him.
He heard two pops that he believed were gunshots and looked away, saying he did not see what was going on, but said that he believed Feliciano-Diaz had fired a gun into the tree line, Price Cohen said.
Feliciano-Diaz reportedly told the witness to run when police arrived.
Price Cohen said Feliciano-Diaz was transported to the Gurnee Police Department and “bathed” himself with toilet water in the cell prior to officers administering a gunshot residue test.
The 911 caller positively identified Feliciano-Diaz as the gunman.
Feliciano-Diaz was charged with felon in possession of a weapon enhanced, reckless discharge of a firearm and obstructing a peace officer.
Feliciano-Diaz is a convicted felon with a prior conviction in Cook County for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and was on probation for the offense at the time of the shooting.
Feliciano-Diaz also has a prior conviction from Texas for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
“This Defendant has a total disregard for the safety of the People of the State of Illinois. He is shooting a gun on a busy intersection. He poses a clear and present danger and should be detained,” Price Cohen said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Feliciano-Diaz pending trial and Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the request during a detention hearing.
Feliciano-Diaz is scheduled to appear in court again on August 19 for a preliminary hearing.