'Very Responsible' Elmhurst Gun Owner Charged

ELMHURST, IL – An Elmhurst man is believed to have been involved in two gun-related incidents last month, with bullets hitting neighbors' houses.

Anthony A. Romano, 35, who lives in the 200 block of South Pick Avenue, was charged with unlawful discharge of a firearm.

Patch obtained the full police report through a public records request.

Police said Romano has a firearm owner's identification card. The report gave no indication that Romano's card was in jeopardy.

A couple of days after police were called June 28, the city issued a chronic nuisance warning to Romano and his landlord.

At a house in the 200 block of South Pick, officers said they saw 30 to 40 bullet marks on the north side of a garage, including two windows. They were believed to have been caused by a BB gun.

According to the report, Romano admitted to shooting a BB gun in his backyard. He said he was trying to hit skunks because he doesn't like them, police said.

At the same time, Romano said he was unsure when he hit his neighbor's garage as he has shot his BB gun on a number of occasions, police said.

A resident in the 200 block of South Oakland Grove Avenue, behind Romano's house, showed police a bullet hole inside the siding of the back of his garage, the report said.

When an officer asked Romano about the damage, he appeared "extremely nervous," police said.

"OK, I was trying to clear my gun, and accidentally, a round went off. I just can't believe it went through the refrigerator into (the neighbor's) garage," Romano was quoted as saying.

He said the gun was a 9mm CZ Phantom, which he said he bought more than a year earlier.

Romano told police that the incident was completely unintentional and that he was a "very responsible" gun owner, according to the report.

Romano was advised not to use his BB gun in the yard or at animals, police said.

On June 30, interim Police Chief Michael McLean sent letters to Romano and the landlord, Nicholas Romano. The chief warned them that the property was in danger of becoming a chronic nuisance.

If at least three nuisance activities take place within 180 days of June 28, the tenant and landlord may be charged under a city ordinance, McLean said.