Report: Rosemont man threatened cop brother-in-law before he was shot
The man shot and killed by his brother-in-law, a Rosemont police officer, said he wanted to kill the off-duty cop moments before the fatal shot was fired in January, according to a state police report.
And earlier that morning, the report says, an agitated Joseph Caffarello, 31, of Rosemont made threatening statements about Rosemont police officers and his wife's family, well-known in town for their involvement in village government, the police department and park district.
The report, released by state police this week, sheds more light on the events that preceded the fatal shooting of Caffarello on the streets of Rosemont's gated residential community the afternoon of Jan. 7.
Cook County prosecutors announced last week that they wouldn't file charges against Rosemont officer Rick Drehobl in the shooting death of Caffarello. The decision came after they studied results of a nearly three-month investigation by state police. They said there was “insufficient evidence” to bring criminal charges, though they declined to detail exactly what led to their decision.
Throughout the state police report, Caffarello is referred to as the suspect, and Drehobl as the victim.
According to the report, Drehobl and fellow off-duty officer Eric Herrera went to the home of Drehobl's sister Deanna Caffarello about noon Jan. 7 at the request of Drehobl's father, Richard Drehobl Sr., a former Rosemont police captain and current park board president. He is married to Rosemont Village Clerk Debbie Drehobl.
Drehobl Sr. was concerned about the well-being of Deanna and Joseph Caffarello because Joseph was “extremely upset” about being stopped by a Rosemont officer around 7 a.m. that day, the report states.
“Caffarello was apparently so upset he was making threatening statements about Rosemont police officers and specifically Richard Drehobl Sr.'s family,” according to a state police criminal investigator's description of events.
The report gives this account of the events that followed:
Drehobl Sr. knew his son had been able to calm down Caffarello in the past, and Drehobl Jr. asked Herrera to go to the house with him since he was Caffarello's best friend.
When they arrived, Deanna Caffarello came out of the house with her husband's handgun, and her brother put it in his car.
Herrera went into the house to speak with Caffarello, but the two got into a “physical altercation,” which was broken up by Drehobl. Herrera left, saying Caffarello was “out of control” and that he didn't want to deal with him anymore.
Caffarello and Drehobl then got into a fight, in which Caffarello grabbed Drehobl by the throat, leaving marks on his neck. Caffarello went upstairs, calling down to his wife to ask where his gun was.
At 12:08 p.m., Drehobl Sr. called Rosemont police, asking that a few patrol cars be sent to Caffarello's house since Drehobl Jr. and Herrera were “having a problem” with Caffarello.
Drehobl Jr., his sister and her toddler, meanwhile, left the house in Drehobl Jr.'s car. Moments later, Caffarello got into his own vehicle and chased after them.
Retired Rosemont Fire Chief Joseph Rizzo saw Caffarello pass his car and turn “at a high rate of speed” onto Scott Street, striking Drehobl's car head on.
Drehobl got out of his car and approached Caffarello's truck. Caffarello got out of the truck and approached Drehobl while saying, “I'm going to kill you.”
Drehobl fired one round from a .45 semiautomatic handgun, striking Caffarello in the chest. Emergency crews who arrived on scene, on the 6100 block of Scott Street, took Caffarello to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Deanna Drehobl later told police that her husband had been in and out of the house since 4 a.m. and was in an “agitated state,” the report says, because he was trying to get some pain medications, which he was addicted to.
Deanna said she saw her husband consume eight pills at 9 a.m. Investigators later found bottles of pain killers at Caffarello's house.
Village officials said last week they expected Drehobl, a four-year department veteran, to return to his regular duties now that the state's attorney's office has rendered a decision.