13-Year-Old Teen in Custody on Weapons Charges

Posted on 09/21/2021

On September 20, 2021, at 6:21 p.m., while conducting patrol duties, a Pleasant Prairie Police officer observed three young males pushing a vehicle in the 11400 block of 39th Avenue. The officer turned his vehicle around to offer assistance on what appeared to be a disabled vehicle. As the officer returned to the area, he noticed three males momentarily walk away from the vehicle into a nearby yard and return to the stalled car. The juveniles, ages 11, 12, and 13, all from Zion, Illinois, stated they ran out of gas. 
 
The officer conducted a protective search of the parties and found the 13-year-old was possessing a loaded handgun. The 13-year-old struggled with the officer but was placed into custody. Once in custody, the 13-year-old made a threat to the arresting officer’s safety. While checking the area, officers located a backpack in the nearby yard that the male parties had momentarily visited. Within the bag was another loaded handgun and a loaded 50 round drum magazine for a handgun. Officers also found additional ammunition for the handguns in the vehicle.
 
The 13-year-old was placed into juvenile detention and held on submitted charges of Possession of a Firearm by a Juvenile Adjudicated Delinquent, Battery or Threats to Law Enforcement, and Resisting/Obstructing. The two other juveniles were released to their parents.