An Evanston man has been charged with aggravated battery and domestic battery in connection with a March 17 incident in Evanston that led to a soft lockdown of some schools, the closure of streets and a heavily armed police response, authorities said Friday.
Adam Browne, 36, of the 900 block of Michigan Avenue, Evanston, was charged with felony aggravated battery, to a person 60 or older, and misdemeanor domestic battery in the March 17 incident, police said in a release on Friday. They said that at the time of the incident police believed they were looking for an “emotionally disturbed” person they thought may have been barricaded in an apartment building in the 900 block of Michigan Avenue.
They said that at approximately 11 a.m., March 17, police responded to a “battery” in the 900 block of Michigan Avenue after a caller said that he was being “battered by a family member,” later identified as Browne.
Police on Friday said the battery occurred in the street and was interrupted by a witness, causing Browne to flee on foot. The victim suffered minor injuries.
Officers learned that Browne was potentially an “emotionally disturbed person with access to firearms” that were located at his residence in the 900 block of Michigan Avenue, said police. They said officers suspected that Browne may have fled to his residence, “giving him access to the firearms.” Due to those circumstances, the police response included the deployment of The Northern Illinois Police Alarm System including officers with long guns, and a soft lockdown of several schools, including Lincoln School in the 900 block of Michigan Avenue, only a block away from where the original incident happened.
Browne was not located at his residence or in the area and once the area was secured, the school lockdowns were lifted, said police.
Evanston police continued their investigation and on April 27, shortly before 6 p.m., detectives located Browne at his residence in the 900 block of Michigan Avenue and he was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Evanston Police Department, said police.
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They said the Cook County state’s attorney’s office reviewed the investigation and approved charges.
Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.