Arlington Heights Police Captain: Barricade Situation was Controlled Chaos

The emergency situation that occurred in downtown Arlington Heights Saturday night could have turned deadly, if not for the strong response and management by the Arlington Heights Police Department and supporting law enforcement.

“We were very fortunate there was strong leadership from the department from the beginning, there was never any panic - I would call it controlled chaos,” said Captain Ken Galinski Jr., at the Arlington Heights Police Department.

When the call came in after 5 p.m. Saturday, Galinski said three sergeants and a commander on-duty immediately organized to handle key responsibilities, those steps, he said, led to the situation ultimately being brought under control after 8 p.m.

“Decisive action was taken immediately, decisions that had to be made were made very quickly,” Galinski said.

Those actions included one sergeant communicating with the mother of the offender who had fired several shots in the Wing Street Condominium the two shared, and directing her to get the gun from her son and remove it from the unit. 

Another sergeant handled logistics in the downtown area, and supporting law enforcement from NIPAS, the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System, were activated to help cordon off areas deemed potentially dangerous for residents and people nearby.

One decision that factored into that choice, was because when the suspect’s mother got the gun, he first removed the gun magazine – which told law enforcement he might have another firearm inside the unit.

Floor plans of the building were obtained by a police commander; law enforcement then had the clearest picture of the unit layout, and what neighboring units might be in jeopardy, if the man was still armed.

“We lost all contact with the suspect, officers were posted on the side of the unit,” Galinski said. “The NIPAS team is highly trained, they had appropriate equipment, and expert negotiating skills.”

Galinski said at balconies or into windows that were adjacent and/or facing it.

A three block area was deemed the “kill zone”, Galinski said, and law enforcement blocked it off for the safety of residents not only in units nearby, but also people eating at area restaurants, shopping at Jewel-Osco, and those at other businesses in the immediate area.

All in all, Galinski said nobody panicked, which is a nod to the immediate, and professional handling of the situation.

“I’ve been here for 30 years; I was on NIPAS for 13 years, when I arrived on scene, there wasn’t any chaos,” Galinski said.

The suspect who was holed up in the unit eventually gave up and was taken into police custody. He was transported to Northwest Community Hospital for evaluation.

“We are still waiting for his release from the hospital to proceed with potential charges,” said Commander Mike Hernandez, Arlington Heights Police Department.

Though what charges could be filed will ultimately be up to the Cook County State’s Attorneys Office, Hernandez said aggravated discharge of a weapon could be one of them.

“I had full confidence in those already at the scene when I arrived. A lot of the needed steps had been taken, and I don’t think there was any fear the situation would not be diffused,” Galinski said.

At the Arlington Heights Village Board meeting Monday, compliments from new Mayor Tom Hayes were voiced, and his appreciation expressed for law enforcement and their handling of the situation.

“They really demonstrated that they are the finest we have here in the village of Arlington Heights,” he said. “We want to thank them and recognize them for keeping us safe.”

Trustee Thomas Glasgow said he was having dinner at a N. Vail Avenue restaurant when police locked down the area.

Police made sure the area was secure and people were asked to stay where they were, he said, adding he was very proud of the professionalism police showed.

“It is amazing how quickly they responded,” Glasgow said.

Gloria Casas contributed to this report.