A 25-year-old Skokie man faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault to a police officer, following an “officer-involved shooting” in Evanston Tuesday afternoon that left no one injured.
The Cook County State’s Attorney approved a felony burglary charge against Justin W. Cunnea-Lamerdin, of the 4900 block of Fargo Avenue in Skokie, in addition to misdemeanor aggravated assault to a police officer with a firearm, and resisting a peace officer, police said.
Evanston police say they found Cunnea-Lamerdin pulling down exposed copper wire inside a vacant home in the 1300 block of Asbury Avenue at about 2 p.m. Tuesday.
After officers used a Taser in an attempt to subdue the man and place him under arrest, police said Cunnea-Lamerdin pulled out what appeared to be a black handgun, but was later determined to be a BB gun. One of the officers opened fire on Cunnea-Lamerdin and missed, police said. Cunnea-Lamerdin retreated into one of the rooms inside the home and then fled from the property. As Cunnea-Lamerdin ran from the home, an officer stationed in a yard outside the residence fired two rounds at the 25-year-old who was still carrying the BB gun, police said.
Police said Cunnea-Lamerdin dropped the BB gun and continued to run west. He was arrested in the 1300 block of Greenwood Street, police said. Neither the officers nor Cunnea-Lamerdin were hurt during the incident.
Evanston police Cmdr. Joe Dugan said he was on scene following the incident and while looking at the BB gun he “couldn’t tell if it was real or not.” He said evidence technicians later determined it was a BB gun.
He said the officers involved were shaken up by the incident.
“They’re human beings, and you go through an experience like that and you think this guy is about to shoot you and it looks like a real gun,” Dugan said. “It happens real fast, it’s a rapidly evolving situation. When all is said and done, just because it’s a BB gun, it’s not like they say, ‘great, whatever.’ They still went through that experience.”
Cunnea-Lamerdin, who was on parole when the incident occurred, was also issued a parole violation warrant from the Illinois Department of Corrections, police said.
Dugan said Cunnea-Lamerdin is due in court in Skokie today.
The Evanston Police Department is conducting an internal use of force investigation into the incident. Dugan said the investigation “is not going to be overly delayed.” He estimated that the process would take about two weeks to complete.
One of the officers involved in the incident is currently on duty while two other officers are on administrative leave, he said.
Lee V. Gaines is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.