Ex-cop unintentionally fired bullet into neighbor's home in Algonquin, police say

A former police officer was released on bond Wednesday after authorities say he fired a bullet though his wall and into a neighbor's Algonquin home.

Mario P. Giannini Jr., 56, of the 0 to 100 block of Kingsmill Court, Algonquin, is charged in McHenry County court with reckless discharge of a firearm. The felony offense typically carries a one- to three-year prison sentence.

Algonquin Police arrested Giannini Tuesday, court records show.

According to a criminal complaint filed in the McHenry County circuit clerk's office, Giannini is accused of using his Smith & Wesson handgun to fire a single 9 mm bullet through the wall of his home Tuesday. The bullet traveled through his neighbor's garage wall and landed in the living room while the residents were home, according to the complaint.

Giannini did not report the situation to police or check to see whether anyone was injured, Deputy Police Chief Ryan Markham said in an email Thursday.

The Cook County sheriff's office confirmed Giannini worked for their department as a deputy from March 1999 to January 2017. Giannini went on to work for the Prairie Grove Police Department until he left voluntarily in February of this year, village officials confirmed. Giannini has no association with the Algonquin Police Department, Markham said.

It wasn't immediately clear why Giannini fired the gun, Markham said.

"It appears as if the discharge was related to negligent and reckless handling of the weapon and he did not intend to fire it," Markham said. "After the discharge of the weapon, Mr. Giannini did not check to see if anyone was injured nor did he contact the police to report the incident."

An attempt to reach Giannini by phone Thursday was unsuccessful, and he had not yet hired a private attorney, records show.

At the time of his arrest, Giannini told investigating officers he had been a police officer at one point, Markham said. Officers didn't confirm the Giannini's statement because they didn't think it was significant to the investigation, Markham said.

Reached by phone Thursday, Co-Chief of the McHenry County state's attorney's office's criminal division Dan Wilbrandt declined to comment on the case while it was pending.

Giannini indicated in a financial affidavit that he is retired, and receives $4,700 each month from a pension. He was released Wednesday morning from the McHenry County Jail in Woodstock after posting 10% of his $10,000 bond, court records show.

Giannini is due back in court at 9 a.m. Sept. 30.