Dozens of guns seized from house of Grayslake-area man who threatened to kill family, sheriff's police say

A Grayslake-area man was taken into custody late Friday and dozens of guns were seized from his home after he threatened to kill family members, authorities said Saturday.

RB Warrens, 49, of the 33400 block of Lakeshore Drive in an unincorporated area near Grayslake, was charged with two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and resisting arrest. He remains in the Lake County jail pending a bond hearing.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office said a family member was fearful after reporting Warrens threatened to kill them and shoot anyone who attempted to remove him from his house.

Warrens was reported to be "anti-government" and have an "arsenal" of firearms, the sheriff's office said.

Sheriff's deputies appeared in court and obtained a firearms restraining order, search warrant, and arrest warrant for Warrens, for electronic harassment.

But the sheriff's tactical response team determined there was a high risk to the surrounding community should a shootout occur at the house, so they decided to put surveillance on his house in attempt to take him into custody off-site.

Officers saw Warrens leaving his house around 10:40 p.m. Friday, and conducted a traffic stop after he got into his car. After being told he was under arrest and didn't comply, Warrens reached into his clothing, and officers released a police dog who bit him in the arm and helped take him into custody, according to the sheriff's office.

Authorities said they recovered a loaded pistol from the area Warrens was reaching. A subsequent search of the house yielded dozens of firearms, including high-powered rifles, shotguns, AK-47s and pistols. They also seized hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

Sheriff's officials said based on the placement of the firearms throughout the house, it was clear Warrens was anticipating law enforcement's involvement and prepared to have a deadly shootout.

"There is no doubt this man is violent and intended to cause harm or death to others, including my sheriff's deputies," Sheriff John Idleburg said in a statement. "This is a situation that could have undoubtedly ended in innocent lives lost and I am incredibly proud of our staff for putting their lives on the line to apprehend this dangerous man. This situation emphasizes the importance of saying something to law enforcement when you see or hear something concerning or suspicious."

Warrens was released back into the custody of the sheriff's office after being treated at a hospital for the dog bite.