A 33-year-old Iowa man who allegedly had a rifle with a laser sight in a hotel room overlooking Ohio Street Beach over the holiday weekend was ordered held in lieu of $10,000 bail Tuesday by a Cook County judge.
Keegan Casteel was arrested July 4 by Chicago police at the W Hotel, in the 600 block of North Lake Shore Drive, in possession of the rifle and a handgun, authorities said.
Chicago police were alerted to the firearms at about 6:45 p.m. by cleaning staff at the hotel who had entered the room and observed the rifle, found on a window sill, in 12th-floor room, authorities said.
Superintendent David Brown said at press briefing Tuesday that police were told the firearms were in a “very suspicious position” inside one of the rooms.
“This employee saw something by entering a room to clean it that likely prevented a tragedy from happening,” Brown said Tuesday. “So it’s significant and very valuable and we ought ... (to) praise that employee for being aware and letting us know so we could react quickly and potentially avoid tragedy.”
Members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force were involved in the investigation, authorities said.
Casteel was arrested at the hotel and faces two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. He must post $1,000 to get out of Cook County Jail.
In addition to the rifle, police also recovered several rifle magazines and a .45-caliber handgun, authorities said. Casteel has a permit to possess firearms in Iowa, and Cook County prosecutors asked that he surrender all of his gun licenses.
Brown said Casteel did not have a criminal history. In court, Cook County prosecutors noted that he has only misdemeanors in his past.
Casteel has two children and works as an auto mechanic, authorities said in court.
www.chicagotribune.com
Keegan Casteel was arrested July 4 by Chicago police at the W Hotel, in the 600 block of North Lake Shore Drive, in possession of the rifle and a handgun, authorities said.
Chicago police were alerted to the firearms at about 6:45 p.m. by cleaning staff at the hotel who had entered the room and observed the rifle, found on a window sill, in 12th-floor room, authorities said.
Superintendent David Brown said at press briefing Tuesday that police were told the firearms were in a “very suspicious position” inside one of the rooms.
“This employee saw something by entering a room to clean it that likely prevented a tragedy from happening,” Brown said Tuesday. “So it’s significant and very valuable and we ought ... (to) praise that employee for being aware and letting us know so we could react quickly and potentially avoid tragedy.”
Members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force were involved in the investigation, authorities said.
Casteel was arrested at the hotel and faces two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. He must post $1,000 to get out of Cook County Jail.
In addition to the rifle, police also recovered several rifle magazines and a .45-caliber handgun, authorities said. Casteel has a permit to possess firearms in Iowa, and Cook County prosecutors asked that he surrender all of his gun licenses.
Brown said Casteel did not have a criminal history. In court, Cook County prosecutors noted that he has only misdemeanors in his past.
Casteel has two children and works as an auto mechanic, authorities said in court.
Iowa man charged after allegedly bringing rifle with laser sight into downtown Chicago hotel overlooking Ohio Street Beach
A 32-year-old Iowa man who allegedly had a rifle with a laser sight in a hotel room overlooking Ohio Street Beach over the holiday weekend was ordered held on $10,000 bail Tuesday by a Cook County …
www.chicagotribune.com
