A concealed carry holder suspected of DUI pointed a loaded handgun at three cops who were responding to a shots fired call on the city’s South Side over the weekend, prosecutors said. Then, a bond court judge let him go home for just $1,000. Maybe he should stop to buy a lottery ticket on his way there.
Around 8:30 Sunday night, cops were dispatched to 66th and Wolcott in West Englewood after ShotSpotter technology detected four gunshots in the area. Officers rolled up to the scene with their blue lights activated and immediately noticed a minivan with five shell casings lying outside of it — and a man passed out behind the steering wheel, prosecutors said.
When cops peeked into the van, they allegedly saw the unconscious driver was holding a handgun on his lap. Three officers drew their handguns, knocked on the driver’s window, and ordered him out of the van, prosecutors said.
The driver, identified as 36-year-old concealed carry holder Gregory Arrington, woke up, lifted the gun in his hand, and pointed it at two of the cops, according to prosecutors. Those two officers reportedly took cover at the rear of his van.
Arrington then turned to the third cop and pointed his handgun directly at the officer with both of his hands outstretched, prosecutors said. The cop did not shoot him.
Instead, the officers repeatedly ordered Arrington to put down his gun and step out of the van, prosecutors said. He eventually did.
Police allegedly recovered a gun loaded with three bullets from the van’s center console. According to prosecutors, Arrington’s speech was mumbled, and he had the strong odor of alcohol on his breath.
Prosecutors charged Arrington with three counts of aggravated assault of police, misdemeanor driving under the influence, and other misdemeanors.
“This arrest, this stop could have ended so much worse,” Judge David Navarro said after hearing the state’s allegations. “This was such a volatile situation.”
Then he let Arrington go home by posting a $1,000 deposit on his $10,000 bail amount. Navarro pointed to Arrington’s lack of any criminal record as he set conditions for his release.