Gun-Toting Vet Sits Outside Home Because He Can

PLAINFIELD, IL — Police were called Tuesday afternoon to the Mayfair Subdivision in Plainfield for a report of a man sitting outside his home with a gun.

A passing motorist in the 3000 block of Ruth Fitzgerald Drive called police after seeing the man with a shotgun, according to Joliet Police Department Deputy Chief Ed Gregory.

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The man, who was not arrested and will not be identified, told police he was exercising his Second Amendment rights, Gregory said, adding that he was cleaning his weapons.

“He had a shotgun which was unloaded and rounds on the table by his porch,” Gregory said. “He also had a Glock handgun that was loaded. He made no gestures, he wasn’t threatening anybody. He made no statements to anyone.”

When officers arrived on the scene, they treated the situation as a person with a gun.

“You don’t know what you’ve got until you find out what’s going on,” Gregory said.

The officers ended up speaking to the 34-year-old military veteran and found that he had a valid FOID card and was cooperative.

“We want to make sure that we were within the framework of the Constitution by not violating his Second Amendment rights, but we have a duty and a right to protect the public as well, so we had to sort everything out,” Gregory said.

Police responded to the scene at around 2:42 p.m. Tuesday and remained for at least 30 minutes.