Fox Lake teens arrested in snowplow shootings

Three Fox Lake teens were arrested Tuesday night for using a pellet gun to shoot out windows on passing snowplows, police officials said Wednesday.

Fox Lake Police Chief Mike Behan said each of the three teens was charged with misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon Tuesday night. They were released to the custody of their parents and are awaiting court dates.

The three are between 15 and 17 years old, Behan said, and are Fox Lake residents.

No one was injured, Behan said. The cost of the damage to the plows is not yet known, he added.

Behan said Fox Lake Public Works Superintendent Dan Miller called police at about 2 p.m. Tuesday reporting that three snowplow drivers had their windows shot out while heading west on Grand Avenue near Rollins Road.

Police staked out the area until about 4:30 p.m., when officers learned the juveniles were hanging out of a window and shooting at the trucks as they drove past.

"Two of the windows were completely blown out," he said. "And, on a third plow, the driver had the passenger side window down and they shot inside the truck."

That pellet ricocheted off the inside of the truck cab, but luckily never struck the driver, Behan said.

A fourth automobile - a minivan - also was damaged by the teens. He added police are still investigating to determine if additional cars or buildings were damaged in the shootings.

Police rushed the building where the teens were hiding, and four teens fled out a back door. They were apprehended following a short foot chase. A fifth suspect - who remained in the building when police entered - was also arrested.

Through questioning, it was determined only three of the five were shooting the pellet guns, while the fourth and fifth suspects were in a separate room unaware of the actions.

Behan said the teens were using a pump-action pellet gun with a large scope to shoot out the windows of the passing cars.

"All the juveniles confessed after getting caught," he said. "The officers did a great job figuring this out. It was handled very professionally and we're happy to put an end to this."