How an East Dundee social worker protected his patient during attempted robbery

As a social worker, 30-year-old Thomas McCann has been trained to calm patients, de-escalate difficult situations and encourage people to think through their decisions.

He never thought he'd have to put those skills into action with a gun pointed at him.

McCann, an employee at 7 Hills Healthcare Center in East Dundee and a Chicago resident, frequently travels in the suburbs to provide at-home therapy to patients with mental health issues. With some young patients, he said, engaging in physical activity helps them open up and be more assertive.

During a Feb. 28 behavioral therapy session, McCann and a 13-year-old patient were playing basketball at a park in south suburban Riverdale, as they had done several times before, when they were approached by two teens who asked to join them. McCann agreed, and the group shot baskets for several minutes until the teens threw the ball over the fence, according to police records.

When McCann returned from retrieving the ball, one teen pointed a handgun at him and demanded he and the patient hand over their belongings.

"It was extremely frightening," McCann said. "I just tried my best to draw my patient's attention away from what was going on. I had to try to keep him calm and make sure he kept his distance from them."

The teens rummaged through the patient's backpack and pocketed any cash they found. They patted down McCann, took his keys and cellphone and demanded he take them to his car. He declined, telling them his car was not nearby because he and the patient had walked to the park.

At that point, the patient had begun to panic, and McCann's social work experience kicked in. He tried to regain control of the situation, asking the teens to return his keys and reconsider their actions. When McCann told them he wouldn't call police, they returned McCann's belongings and walked away.

"I had a lot of adrenaline going," he said, "but I was just trying to keep things as calm as possible for both the client and the kid who had the gun."

Fearful the teens might follow them, McCann and the patient walked to a nearby gas station, bought a bag of chips and took an indirect route home. They told the boy's mother what happened and called police.

McCann has since returned to Riverdale many times to provide therapy and to offer the boy and his mother support.

Recognizing McCann's bravery and the professional manner in which he handled the situation, 7 Hills last week honored him with the first Thomas McCann Award, created for employees who demonstrate outstanding dedication to their patients.

"(McCann) went above and beyond his duties as a care provider," said Aaron Bush, health care administrator. "His actions will be forever remembered with the naming of this award."

McCann said his employers have checked in frequently, allowed him to talk to therapists and gave him time to process the experience.

He said he often thinks about the teen with the gun and wonders how more positive experiences could have made a difference in his life. He thinks about his patient's feelings of comfort and security being taken away, and he feels compelled to improve safety for kids at public parks.

"I think it's definitely going to require a lot more than just somebody in my position," McCann said. "It requires communities to come together and put in the work required to make those places safe."