Palatine Gang Member Charged After Gunshot Leads To Hotel Room Standoff

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Two gang members were charged Monday over a weekend incident involving shots fired in a hotel parking lot and standoff between SWAT teams and individuals barricaded in the room at another hotel.

Jose Vidales, 21, of the 24000 block of West Brorson Avenue, Round Lake, was charged with armed violence, aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a gang member. Vidales is being held on $1.5 million.

Leonardo Rosario, 21, of 1400 East Dundee Road, Palatine, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a gang member and two counts of resisting a peace officer. Although Cook County Jail records show he is being held on $500,000 bail, the Daily Herald reports that Rosario was denied bail because he was already free on bail in an unconnected weapons case.

RELATED: 9 People With 'Gang Connections' Arrested In Hotel Standoff: Cops

The events that led to the charges began to unfold at about 9:25 p.m. Friday, March 31, when Arlington Heights police detectives and patrol officers heard a single gunshot come from the area of the Red Roof Inn parking lot, 22 W. Algonquin Road. Police encountered Rosario and two other suspects once they reached the parking lot.

While two of the suspects were quickly stopped, Rosario and officers tussled to the ground, and the gang member reached to the front of his waistband during the melee, according to police. Eventually, officers overpowered Rosario, and a loaded handgun was allegedly found in his front waistband, police said.

An investigation at the scene determined Rosario hadn't fired the shot that caused the police response. A check of security camera video discovered that Vidales was responsible for the parking lot gunfire before fleeing to the nearby Courtyard Chicago Arlington Heights/South hotel, 100 W. Algonquin Road.

Vidales was found in second-floor room of the hotel, and officers witnessed him tossing two bags out of the the room, according to police. A handgun similar to the one seen in the video footage was found in one of the bags.

Area SWAT teams were called in through the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System, and a search warrant was obtained when Vidales and the six other people in the hotel room ignored officers' attempts at contacting them, according to police. Authorities eventually established a line of communication, and Vidales and the other suspects finally left the room and were immediately taken into custody.

No one was hurt in the incidents at either hotel. Although Rosario and Vidales were arrested and charged, the other suspects were released by police.

Rosario and Vidales are next scheduled to appear in court April 21.

Leonardo Rosario (photo via the Cook County Sheriff's Office)

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