MOKENA, IL — A Mokena man who accidentally shot himself and then kept police at bay in a standoff last week will face criminal charges, Mokena police said.
The man—who remains hospitalized—has not yet been formally arrested and charged. Patch does not name a suspect until charges have been filed. Mokena Police Chief Brian Benton confirmed to Patch that the Will County State's Attorney has approved charges against him, including at least one gun charge.
Just after 6 p.m. May 5, police were called to a home in the 10500 block of Sharon Lane regarding a man who had accidentally shot himself.
Officials said a witness told police at the scene that the man who lives at the home was intoxicated and had shot himself in the leg. They told police the man appeared to have lost a lot of blood. Police attempted to make contact with the man, who refused to come out of the house and refused to speak with police, Chief Brian Benton said.
The witness told police the man was still armed, and that there were at least two firearms inside the residence. Officers ran the subject through LEADS and learned that he had a revoked Firearms Owners Identification Card.
Due to the fact that the man was shot, intoxicated, still armed and unwilling to speak with officers, police said the Will County Special Operations Group (SOG) crisis negotiators were requested for assistance.
While negotiators tried to negotiate a surrender and confirm his medical condition, Mokena police detectives worked with the Will County State's Attorney's Office to secure a search warrant.
The man eventually began talking with crisis negotiators over a throw phone, a tactical communication method used during high-risk situations, police said. They were able to convince him to come out into the open garage area, according to officials.
An ambulance was called to the scene, and the man was transported, under guard, to the hospital for evaluation.
An arrest warrant was issued May 7. Benton said the man remains hospitalized, and an arrest is anticipated upon his release.
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