Toothbrush Shank Found on Jailed Man Who Wanted to 'Create a Massacre'

A man who was shot by police after threatening to “create a massacre” and shooting at officers has been charged with possession of a weapon while locked up in jail.

According to police, Taylor James Cano, 25, of the 300 block of S. Fordham Ave. in Aurora, was found with a toothbrush he had fashioned into a stabbing weapon. The weapon was taken and Cano was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon while in custody of the the department of corrections.

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Cano, who previously resided in the 100 block of Ashlawn Avenue in Oswego, made several phone calls to police Aug. 29 indicating that a massacre was going to happen and that he was going to shoot himself in the street, according to police. Cano called the police and then hung up several times. At one point, Cano said he had a rifle and would shoot anyone who came to help him.

According to police, Cano had obtained the firearm from the Ashlawn home he had been staying at off and on. He believed a motorcycle gang had his house surrounded and felt he was going to die that night and he wanted to draw headlines to his murder by going to a party and shooting people.

When officers encountered Cano, he was walking toward the party. According to the release, Cano turned, pointed his rifle at the officers and fired one round. The officers returned fire and struck Cano in the torso. The Oswego Fire Protection District took him to an area hospital for further medical attention.

Police learned that had they not intervened, he would have shot people at the party. At this point, there is no indication that Cano knew or had any type of altercation with people at the party prior to the incident.

Cano was released Sept. 17 from the hospital and police took him into custody. He was booked at the Oswego Police Dept. and taken to the Kendall County Jail.

Police had had a previous encounter with Cano Aug. 12 when officers saw him standing in the area of Route 25 and Glendale yelling for police to kill him while holding what appeared to be an eight to 10 inch spear. Cano was subdued and taken to a hospital for evaluation.