Two charged in Aurora shooting incident
Two men have been charged with felonies after Aurora police Saturday night spotted them with guns and fired a shot at them after they refused to put down their weapons, according to authorities and court records.
Erik J. Esparza, 20, of the 3N100 block of East Mary Lane, St. Charles, and Rene Muro, 25, of the 300 block of Beach Street, Aurora, each face up to seven years in prison if convicted of weapons charges.
No one was injured in the shooting, which police say occurred on the 1000 block of Pearl Street on the city's southeast side.
Officers said they saw a suspicious vehicle with four men inside driving around the neighborhood, and two of the occupants got out and were walking between homes near Parker Avenue and Pearl Street.
Seeing that the two men had guns, police stopped and the men pointed their guns at the officers instead of putting their guns down, according to police.
One officer who feared for his safety and that of his partner, fired a shot at the men, who took off and ran. One was caught immediately; the other was caught with the help of Montgomery police and Kane County sheriff's deputies.
Both men are charged with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a gang member, and resisting/obstructing a police officer.
Muro, who was also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, was being held at the Kane County jail on $500,000 bail. He is due in court Wednesday. Esparza was being held on $200,000 bail, and is next due in court July 23.