Glen Ellyn Man Brought Loaded Gun, More Ammo To Hospital ER: Cops

GLEN ELLYN, IL — A Glen Ellyn man faces felony charges after police say he reached for a loaded gun with 15 rounds in a magazine in his waistband while he was having an altercation with a security guard in the emergency room at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital.

Michael Vangarsse, 38, is also accused of having three magazines loaded with a total of 60 rounds of ammunition in his waistband.

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Police were called to the hospital at 25 N. Winfield Rd., Winfield, around 1 a.m. Sunday for a report of a man with a gun. When they got to the scene, they found Vargarsse had been restrained by hospital security and disarmed.

Police say a nurse had told Vangarsse to change into a hospital gown, but he would not comply. A security guard told Vangarsse to change into the gown, at which time police say he shoved the guard and tried to enter the main part of the hospital.

Two more security guards came to help with the struggle and one of the guards said they saw Vangarsse "reach for his waist," a news release said.

Police say Vangarsse tried to get the gun from his waistband multiple times during the altercation.

Security guards told police they found a loaded Baretta 92 9mm handgun with a bullet in the chamber and a magazine containing 15 rounds. They also reported finding the additional magazines with 60 rounds of ammunition in his waistband.

"The allegations that Mr. Vangarsse brought a loaded gun into a hospital emergency room are extremely disturbing," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.

Berlin added, "The threat Mr. Vangarsse allegedly posed to patients and their families, doctors, nurses and hospital staff, is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in DuPage County. Hospitals are no setting for a loaded weapon. They are a place for the sick or injured to go to receive care without having to worry for their personal safety. I commend security at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital for their outstanding work in safely getting control of the situation and detaining Mr. Vangarsse until authorities arrived."

Vangarsse is being held in DuPage County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 26.