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Homeless man charged after standoff with Des Plaines police

Des Plaines police arrested a 52-year-old homeless man Monday after authorities say he called 911 from a public parking garage claiming he was armed with a military rifle then later approached responding officers armed with a box cutter.

Robert Roggatz was arrested about noon on the 600 block of Metropolitan Way on felony charges of disorderly conduct and resisting a peace officer, police said.

According to police, Roggatz called 911 from the garage and told a dispatcher he had an AK-47 rifle and wanted to “kill somebody.”

Nine officers arrived, set up a perimeter around the garage then located Roggatz lying on the ground at the main entrance on the east side of the structure, police said.

According to police, Roggatz, who was bleeding from his left wrist, stood up and walked toward the officers with a small silver pocket knife in his left hand.

Roggatz dropped the knife on the orders of officers, police said, but then put his right hand behind his back and continued walking toward them.

After Roggatz refused to halt, police said, an officer shot him with a stun gun. Roggatz fell backward and dropped a box cutter from his right hand, police said.

He was taken into custody and transported to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge for an evaluation, police said. Officers did not locate a firearm, police added.

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