3 Charged After Fight At Des Plaines Mosque; Guns Found In BMW: Police

DES PLAINES, IL — Three men face charges following what police described as a large fight at a local mosque, where officers said multiple firearms were recovered from a vehicle.

Des Plaines police also recently investigated a vehicle break-in, criminal damage and an alleged Facebook Marketplace scam. Separate arrests included a man accused of possessing crack cocaine and a Chicago man charged with DUI.

The following information comes from Des Plaines Police Department reports. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt.

MOSQUE FIGHT LEADS TO 3 ARRESTS

Police were called at around 11:45 p.m. Aug. 28, to a mosque in the 480 block of Potter Road for a report of a large fight. Officers were told while responding that most of those involved had fled in a black BMW and a white BMW, according to police.

Police stopped a vehicle and searched multiple occupants and the vehicle, finding multiple firearms, the report states.

RECENT: Loaded Gun, Hydrocodone Found After High-Speed Stop — Des Plaines Blotter

Following interviews and a review of surveillance video, police said Amin Asir, 21, of Morton Grove, had pointed a black firearm at another person while recording him on his phone during the confrontation. Police said Faisal Khan, 23, of Skokie, also pointed a firearm at the same person and was identified by the victim as participating in the threatening behavior.

Police said Abdulrahim Ghaffar, 24, of Skokie, joined a group that chased the victim and was seen punching and kicking him while he was on the ground.

Asir was charged with mob action, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated assault. Khan was charged with mob action and aggravated assault. Ghaffar was charged with mob action and battery, according to police.

SUSPECTED CRACK COCAINE

George Byrd, 23, of Gary, Indiana, was charged with possession of a controlled substance following an incident at around 6:23 p.m. Aug. 28, in the 1585 Rand Road parking lot.

Police said officers saw three people inside a gray Hyundai smoking cannabis in plain view. During a search of the vehicle and its occupants, officers allegedly found Byrd in possession of a white rock-like substance.

Police said testing indicated the substance was crack cocaine. Byrd was taken to the Des Plaines Police Department for processing and later released in accordance with Illinois law.

DUI

Alexandar Nedinic, 36, of Chicago, was charged with DUI after police stopped a black Mercedes at around 12:27 a.m. Aug. 31, near 555 Rand Road.

Police said officers saw the Mercedes commit multiple traffic violations and detected a strong odor of alcohol on Nedinic's breath after making the stop.

Nedinic was asked to perform standardized field sobriety tests but refused to cooperate, according to police. He was taken into custody and later declined to provide a breath sample at the police station, the report states.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS

CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO VEHICLE

A resident in the 2000 block of Pratt Avenue told police she saw an unknown man enter her backyard at around 2:57 a.m. Aug. 29.

Police said the man was wearing a medical face mask, lightweight coat, baseball cap and dark pants. He allegedly approached the resident's vehicle, opened an unlocked door and rummaged through belongings before leaving.

LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT

A resident in the 500 block of North Fifth Avenue reported Aug. 29, that someone had struck her vehicle overnight and left without providing information, according to police.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY

A resident in the 1700 block of Cora Street told police Aug. 29 that she discovered a windshield wiper had been broken off her vehicle.

Police said surveillance video showed a white or gray vehicle approach and turn off its lights. An unknown person then got out, and the sound of the windshield wiper being broken could be heard on the recording.

FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE SCAM

A resident in the 900 block of Margaret Street told police Aug. 26 that they attempted to purchase a vehicle advertised on Facebook Marketplace.

According to police, the seller requested a $5,800 wire transfer, which the victim sent. The seller later claimed the money had not been received.

When the victim asked to speak with a manager, the seller said someone would call back, but no one did. Attempts to recover the $5,800 were unsuccessful, police said.