The callous disregard for human life was once again on display Wednesday afternoon when two Chicago men fled from law enforcement. The dangerous manhunt fortunately ended with no injuries, and it was largely thanks to an armed and courageous suburban homeowner.
These stories of good guys with guns grow more frequent by the day as law-abiding Americans arm themselves against random acts of violence. The Illinois resident last week had no reason to suspect that simply being in his home with his family would bring him face-to-face with an alleged criminal fleeing law enforcement, but that is exactly what he encountered.
Police reported Kawann Moore, 39, and Richard Pegue, 35, are on the hook for several charges after allegedly stealing a pair of chainsaws from a truck.
But the thefts were made much worse when police spotted them and they bolted.
Authorities received the call at roughly 12:17 p.m. that two chainsaws were stolen by suspects in a gold minivan. This conspicuous vehicle was spotted by a police officer who attempted to pull the occupants over, but police said the driver, Moore, merely sped away.
This resulted in the all-too-familiar high-speed encounter that raced through suburban areas and into Willow Springs.
Speeds reached an alarming 120 mph on I-55 and a motorcyclist was nearly struck by the fleeing suspects. Moore’s list of charges increased when he allegedly exited the freeway and raced through a 35-mph zone at 100 mph.
When the suspects reached Willow Springs, they jumped from the minivan and raced away. Elementary kids were playing outside of their building for recess as Pegue was nabbed by pursuing officers near the school.
Moore, however, ran through a wooded area to elude his pursuers and found himself in the backyard of a resident. At gunpoint.
The man was playing with his 9-year-old daughter behind his home when they were undoubtedly startled by the alleged criminal rushing onto their property. Even in this innocent situation, the homeowner had enough presence of mind to have a weapon nearby.
He was able to protect his family and assist law enforcement by holding the suspect at gunpoint as he phoned 911. Police arrived and Moore attempted yet again to run into the woods, but he was apprehended and taken to jail.
Prosecutors asked that the two defendants be denied pretrial release, and the judge agreed. DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin noted that the alleged crime and ensuing pursuit may have ended far more tragically.
“The dangerous behavior allegedly exhibited by the defendants in this case is extremely alarming. The allegations that in the middle of the afternoon these men traveled at 100 mph on a busy road and 120 mph on the expressway, nearly hitting a motorcyclist, put the public and the officers at great risk.
Berlin added, “What I find disturbing are the allegations that not only did the defendants flee on foot near a school while children were outside for recess, one of the defendants was caught in a residential backyard where a child was playing outside.”
What began as the petty theft of a pair of chainsaws became infinitely worse when the two allegedly fled, and the situation was only resolved by an alert citizen who protected not only his home but his community.
And again, the man certainly had no reason to believe that he would encounter the subject of a manhunt while playing in his yard with his small daughter. But that’s exactly what happened, and thanks to the Second Amendment, he was ready.
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