Teen unknowingly robs undercover cop, threatens to ‘blow his brains out,’ IL cops say
A 17-year-old accused gun trafficker unknowingly robbed an undercover cop and threatened to “blow his brains out,” Illinois deputies said.
The undercover detective met with the teen in a Beach Park parking lot to purchase a firearm, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.
As the two talked, the teen pulled out a semi-automatic gun and pointed it at the detective’s face, deputies said. Not knowing the man was an undercover detective, the teen demanded the detective give him the money, according to deputies. The detective complied.
The teen then ran away and threw the gun but was intercepted by other detectives monitoring, deputies said. He and two lookouts — a 16-year-old from Kenosha, Wisconsin, and 22-year-old from Beach Park — armed with semi-automatic weapons were arrested, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies said they also searched the 17-year-old’s home and found a gun, ammunition and magazines.
The 17-year-old was charged with armed robbery, unlawful use of a weapon and obstructing a peace officer, deputies said. The 16-year-old was charged with unlawful use of a weapon. Both teens were taken to a juvenile detention facility.
The 22-year-old man had outstanding warrants and faces additional charges of armed robbery, aggravated unlawful possession of a machine gun, unauthorized possession of a firearm by a street gang member, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful use of a weapon, deputies said.
Attorney information for the three men was not listed.
Illinois banned some kinds of semi-automatic weapons on Jan. 1, according to the Illinois State Police.
Beach Park is about a 45-mile drive north from Chicago.
This story was originally published March 18, 2024 at 1:47 PM with the headline "Teen unknowingly robs undercover cop, threatens to ‘blow his brains out,’ IL cops say."
