Two charged after shot fired outside Arlington Heights hotel
A Round Lake man and a Palatine man are facing felony weapons charges stemming from their arrests by Arlington Heights police officers responding to the sound of a gunshot fired outside a motel Friday night.
Jose Vidales, 21, of the 24000 block of West Brorson Avenue in Round Lake, is charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, armed violence and aggravated unlawful use of weapon by a gang member.
Leonardo Rosario, 21, of the 1400 block of East Dundee Road in Palatine, is charged with aggravated unlawful use of weapon by a gang member and two counts of resisting a peace officer.
According to police, patrol officers and detectives near the intersection of Arlington Heights and Algonquin roads reported hearing a gunshot at approximately 9:25 p.m. Friday.
They went to the motel parking lot and encountered three people who attempted to run, police said.
Two were quickly detained, but the third - identified as Rosario - refused to comply and struggled with officers, according to police. While on the ground, police said, Rosario tried to reach the front of his waistband, but officers gained control of him and recovered a loaded handgun from where he'd been reaching.
An investigation determined that Rosario had not fired the shot that drew officers to the scene, police said. Surveillance video showed Vidales had fired the shot in the parking lot and then ran to a hotel on the 100 block of Algonquin Road, according to police.
Witnesses later reported that Vidales had fired at a vehicle occupied by rival gang members, a Cook County prosecutor said in court Monday.
Officers began a search of the building and located Vidales in a second-floor room with other people, authorities said. Other officers reported seeing Vidales throw two bags out of the room's sliding glass door. One of the bags contained a handgun similar to the one seen on the video, police said.
Vidales and the others in the room ignored attempts by officers to communicate with them at the door and by phone. A search warrant was obtained and the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System activated.
Communication eventually was established with the occupants of the room. Six people, including Vidales, left the room and were taken into custody, police said.
Only Vidales and Rosario were charged. The others were released and no one was injured, police said.
Bail for Vidales was set at $1.5 million during his court appearance Monday. Rosario is being held without bail because he was free on bail on an unrelated weapons charge at the time of his arrest Friday.
• Daily Herald staff writer Barbara Vitello contributed to this story.