South Dakota man faces felony charges after he was found armed and hiding in basement of Franklin Park church: police
By Deborah Kadin
Pioneer Press |
James Orwick (Franklin Park Police Department)
Franklin Park police said a 28-year-old South Dakota man is facing several felony weapons charges, and other charges, after police in the morning hours of April 1 found him armed and hiding in a basement closet at St. Gertrude Church.
Police said James Orwick, of Newell, S.D., had three loaded handguns in his possession. In total, police said five weapons — all loaded — were found, three in the church and two in Orwick's truck that police found in Hoffman Estates.
"Because of our officers' quick and decisive actions, we believe that a major tragedy was prevented," Franklin Park Director of Police Michael Witz said, adding that the incident took place while three women had entered the church to clean up and place flowers.
Though he said it is not clear exactly what Orwick's plans were on this day, Witz said police believe, from his text messages and social media messaging, that he might have been a danger to the community and himself.
Witz said one of Orwick's family members, who was living out of state, told police they had been communicating with the 28-year-old by text and social media for some time and believed that he could harm himself or others. The family eventually located him and called police, Witz said, telling them he was at St. Gertrude, which is at 9613 Schiller Blvd. Previously, at a meeting on Monday night, Franklin Park Mayor Barrett Pedersen had said the man was in the basement of a building in the 2900 block of Gustav Street.
Latest Franklin Park
In final season, Guerin girls basketball finding ways to win
Guerin Prep would have needed an additional $6 million to stay open
College Notes: Niles West's Sam Galanopoulos chipping in for Loyola women's basketball
Manager at Glenview plastic surgery clinic charged with stealing $184,000 from business
Hollywood glamour comes to library for Oscars screening party
At about 5 a.m., officers went to the church and began searching the church after finding a door that had been forced open, Witz said. Three officers found a man, later identified as Orwick, in a basement closet with three handguns in his waist band, according to police. Police said they asked him several times to not move and show his hands. As it appeared to police that Orwick was going to take out one of his guns from his waist band, officers used a taser to stun him and knock him to the ground, allowing Orwick to be disarmed, police said.
During an interview at headquarters, police said they learned Orwick had traveled from South Dakota to Hoffman Estates, where he left his pickup truck and then traveled to Franklin Park. In addition to the three weapons they took from him at the scene, officers found two other weapons in his pickup in Hoffman Estates, police said, adding that Orwick also had several rounds of ammunition.
Police said Orwick is charged with Class 4 felonies — three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon; two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon; two counts of felony resisting a police officer; and one count of felony criminal damage to property.
Witz said Orwick had been held overnight while police completed an investigation. His next court date is set for April 22. His bail was set at $3 million, and police said he was in the Cook County Jail as of April 4.