Man Arrested in O’Hare Security Breach, Attack on Officers: Police

Updated at 4:57 a.m. Jan. 9:

A 21-year-old Joliet man is in custody after allegedly breaching a security checkpoint at O’Hare International Airport early Sunday morning and unsuccessfully attempting to board a flight.

Chicago police said Malik Steffon Neal, of the 200 block of South Raynor Avenue, forced his way past TSA agents into a secured area of Terminal 3 at around 4:45 a.m. Sunday. He then entered a restricted area without a valid plane ticket, ignoring commands to stop by Chicago police and TSA officers.

Neal, who was unarmed, according to an NBC Chicago report, struck several officers after they stopped him from entering the gate and attempted to place him into custody, police said. The officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to an area hospital.

Neal is charged with two counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer, aggravated battery, criminal trespassing to state land and battery.

The incident isn't Neal's first brush with the law. In June, Joliet police said he threatened to "shoot that place up" after being asked to leave Inwood Athletic Club.

After he was told to leave for making "off-color remarks" and rummaging through unlocked lockers, Neal said he was going to return and shoot a park district worker, according to police. Shortly after the incident, a woman flagged down a police officer and reported that Neal had walked up to her car and pounded on the window.

The officer located Neal — who had made it across Jefferson Street but was still near the athletic club — and asked him about the incident with the woman, police said at the time. Neal reportedly pointed across the street to the athletic club, police said, and told the officer, “I’m going to shoot that place up and I’m going to shoot you in the head." The officer arrested Neal on charges of disorderly conduct and aggravated intimidation of an officer, police said.

Jail records show that he bonded out two days after the June 2016 arrest. That case is still pending.
In September 2015, Neal was charged with violating a stalking no-contact order. The order, issued on behalf of a Joliet woman, was originally issued in 2014 and last extended in 2016, according to court records.
Neal was taken to Presence Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago for a mental evaluation following Sunday's incident, police told NBC.

Chicago police did not disclose a motive behind Neal's alleged security breach, and said no additional information was available early Monday morning.

Neal is due in bond court on Monday.

Photo: Malik Steffon Neal (Provided by the Chicago Police Department)