Gun-Carrying 20-Year-Old Flees, Struggles With Police In Evanston

EVANSTON, IL — A 20-year-old Evanston man is charged with a firearm felony after allegedly running away from police with a gun and trying to hand it off to people on the front porch of his house Friday. Police said his 18-year-old companion jumped on the back of an arresting officer while they fought over a loose gun was charged with misdemeanor battery and resisting police.

Nicolas Moreno, 20, of the 2000 block of Dodge Avenue in Evanston, was arrested shortly after 11:36 p.m. after a pair of officers on patrol near Dodge and Foster noticed a large group of people on the street, according to police.

The officers noted there had been recent disturbances in the area, including an incident two weeks earlier in which Malik Jackson, Moreno's 18-year-old companion charged with two misdemeanors in connection with the July 13 incident, had been arrested under a local ordinance violation that prohibits "yelling."

Cmdr. Ryan Glew said that ordinance in generally reserved for special circumstances.

"[Jackson] was out causing a disturbance in the wee hours of the morning – disturbing the peace," Glew said. "He was advised to knock it off and he failed to comply with the verbal warnings of the officers so he was cited."

On Friday, police noticed Jackson and Moreno headed eastbound away Dodge Avenue toward the corner of Foster. Moreno appeared to be clutching something in his waistband, police said. When officers stepped out of the car, he began to jog down the street toward his house clutching his waistband.

After a footchase less than a block, Moreno ran onto the front porch of his house and tried to hand off the gun to one of several people outside, yelling "Take this," to family members. Glew, who said he has reviewed bodycam footage of the incident, said a struggle ensued as officers tried to arrest Moreno and secure a loose loaded pistol, a .45 caliber Springfield Armory handgun.

"An officer is trying to pin him down and cuff him, meanwhile the handgun is there unsecured," Glew said. "Moreno attempted to reach for the handgun with his right hand but the officer was able to secure the handgun before Moreno could reach it."

As they struggled and before a third Evanston cop showed up at the scene, Jackson arrived and jumps on the back of an officer in an attempt to stop them from arresting Moreno, according to Glew. Jackson winds up in cuffs himself shortly thereafter, and no injuries were reported from the incident.

Moreno, who does not have a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card or Concealed Carry License, was charged with one felony count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon for a gun in a public place, as well as two misdemeanor counts of having a gun and ammunition without a FOID card, according to police.

Chicago police records indicate Moreno had been released on a recognizance bond after an June 24 arrest for reckless conduct. As of Tuesday morning he was being held at Cook County Jail in lieu of a $12,000 cash portion of his bond. Jackson is due back in court on July 23 after posting $150 bond, police said.

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