Lockport Man Charged After Barricade Situation

LOCKPORT, IL — A Lockport man has been charged and remains in jail after barricading himself in his home in Lockport Township on Monday. Ryan Gass, 35, of the 2700 block of Lawrence Avenue, has been charged with resisting police, reckless discharge of a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated assault.

The Will County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded to a call of shots fired at 4:25 p.m. near Lawrence Avenue and Bruce Road in unincorporated Lockport. Police said when they arrived on scene, there was evidence of a rifle being fired in the area. At first, police couldn't locate anyone, but they did see an AR-15 style rifle through a window inside of a home in the 2700 block of Lawrence.

Police said the Laraway Communications Center then received a call from a man who resided at the Lawrence Avenue address. The man, identified as Gass, began making threats to law enforcement over the phone.

According to police, deputies were able to locate Gass at the Lawrence Avenue residence. Gass refused to speak with deputies, and so the incident was considered a barricaded suspect situation. There were no other people present in the home.

A perimeter was established around the home and the SWAT team responded to the scene, police said. A dialogue was then established with Gass, who refused to vacate the home.

Police said they spoke to Gass on and off for several hours, and he surrendered to the Will County Sheriff's Office at 10 p.m. A search of the area around the home was conducted, and an AR-15 style rifle was found on the property.

Gass was taken into custody for various offenses, and was taken to the Will County Sheriff’s Investigations Office for further questioning.

As of July 16, he has not been released from Will County Adult Detention Facility. He was set to appear in court on Tuesday.