Crime & Safety
Oak Lawn Man Barricades Himself After Well-Being Check: Police
Oak Lawn cops go to residence after someone places call that his brother "just killed the cat," official said.
Oak Lawn, IL -- A barricade situation at an Oak Lawn apartment building ended peacefully Monday when a man surrendered himself to police.
Oak Lawn police said in statement that officers went to the apartment building around 9:42 a.m. Monday in the 4100 block of West 98th Street to check on the well being of two brothers, after an apparent threat had been made involving a handgun.
When police arrived at the home they were able to talk to one of the brothers, who stated that his brother was home but refused to let officers enter. The brother, determined to be 60 years old, went back into the apartment and closed the door.
Police and South Suburban Emergency Response Team respond to barricade situation. | Tim Moran
After learning there may be weapons inside the apartment, police set up a perimeter around the building, closing down streets for several hours from 97th to 99 Streets, between Pulaski Road and Keeler Avenue. Residents in the area were ordered to stay inside their homes and away from windows.
During the standoff officers learned the brother was an ex-military member with a history of mental illness and possessed weapons. The second brother was located, who was not in the home.
The South Suburban Emergency Response Team was contacted to assist Oak Lawn police with the barricade situation. The man eventually surrendered around 2 p.m. He was brought to Advocate Christ Medical Center for an evaluation.
Oak Lawn Trustee Terry Vorderer (Dist 4), told Patch that a 911 call had been placed, in which the caller stated “my brother just killed the cat.”
Children attending summer school at Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School who lived near 98th Street and Pulaski where the barricade situation unfolded were picked up by their parents.
Dist. 123 Supt. Paul Enderle said summer school staff learned of the unfolding barricade situation when concerned parents because calling the school district officer about police activity in the area.
Bus service for students attending summer school at OLHMS was suspended during barricade incident. | Tim Moran
“We held kids back who lived in the area and didn’t route buses there,” Enderle said. “We called parents to come pick up their children out of an abundance of caution.”
No injuries were reported to police officers, the barricaded man or residents.
Division Chief Randy Palmer, of the Oak Lawn Police Department, said the incident remains under investigation. No charges have been filed as of yet.
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