A 25-year-old Desplaines Avenue resident is facing a single felony charge for allegedly shooting a construction worker in the head with a pellet gun.
Daniel A. O’Brien, of 217 Desplaines Ave., shot an unidentified man operating a jackhammer outside of his apartment on Nov. 30, according to a police report. The incident occurred at about 3:30 p.m. when O’Brien was at home with his 18-month-old child.
When police arrived at the scene, they found the construction worker holding his head where a single pellet was lodged. According to the police report, officers were able to see a small hole in the man’s head, from which blood was oozing. The victim pointed police in the direction of O’Brien’s apartment building where authorities allegedly found a pellet gun after the suspect confessed to the crime.
During their initial contact with O’Brien, police reported the suspect asked the officers to keep their voices down so as not to disturb the sleeping child. Once they stepped into the hallway of the building, police asked O’Brien whether the jackhammer was creating a disturbance, to which O’Brien replied, no.
Shortly thereafter, according to the report, the suspect confessed to shooting at the construction worker.
Meanwhile, the injured worker was transported to Loyola Medical Center where X-rays revealed the pellet. Further tests were requested to determine how deep the object was in the man’s skull and how the malady should be treated. The victim was released from Loyola several hours after the incident, according to police.
O’Brien was charged with aggravated battery.
Church hosts romantic encounter
A couple who tripped an alarm at the Forest Park Baptist Church may have had an amorous moment interrupted by police.
Just after 11 a.m. on Nov. 18, officers responded to the church’s alarm at 133 Harlem Ave., where they found a man in his 30s and a woman in her 40s inside the church’s vestibule. According to a police report on the incident, Noel D. Caffey’s clothes were “in disarray with his zipper down.”
Caffey, 33, was accompanied by Marie T. Gable, 47. Both listed an area shelter as their address.
A property manager for the church initially told authorities that neither individual had permission to be in the building and he would sign trespassing complaints against them. However, once Caffey and Gable were taken to the station for processing, the church manager apparently had a change of heart. Both individuals were released without charge.
Several homes burglarized
Between Nov. 27 and Dec. 3, Forest Park police responded to seven reported burglaries in which two televisions, several power tools, an electric razor, 250 DVDs, a laptop computer, cash, two coats, cologne, a digital camera and several other items were taken. No suspects were identified in any of the police reports for these incidents.
The first alleged burglary occurred on Nov. 27, sometime after 7 a.m. at a home at 7439 W. Roosevelt Rd. Entry was likely gained through the front door using a screw driver or other tool to pry the door open.
Between 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. an apartment at 1013 Hannah Ave., was burglarized, according to police reports. The resident told police she returned home to find the door was still locked and there were no signs of forced entry.
Between 7 p.m. on Nov. 27 and 8 a.m. the next day, a 2003 Ford truck at 1223 Circle Ave. was burglarized. Police suspect some type of prying tool was used to gain entry, at which point several power tools were stolen from the truck.
A Nov. 28 burglary between 9:40 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. occurred at 1013 S. Harlem Ave. There were no signs of forced entry and the victim told police her apartment door was locked when she returned home.
The R Place tavern at 1527 S. Harlem was burglarized on Nov. 30 at 6:30 a.m., where police found a rear glass door was likely smashed with a brick found inside the building. Between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. the same day, police suspect an apartment at 220 Brown Ave. was burglarized when someone broke a door window on the backside of the unit. Several pieces of jewelry and $800 in cash were reported stolen.
On Dec. 3, police received a complaint that a home at 7343 Madison St. was burglarized between 10 p.m. on Dec. 2 and 8 p.m. on Dec. 3. A rear door was used to gain entry where the suspect(s) found a digital camera, laptop computer and 250 DVDs.
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between November 17 and December 5, 2006, and represent only a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in this report has only been charged with a crime. The cases have not been adjudicated.
Compiled by Josh Adams
