2 In Custody Following Standoff Near Lake Villa

LAKE COUNTY, IL – A male military veteran and a woman were taken into custody Wednesday afternoon, ending a standoff near Lake Villa, authorities told the Daily Herald. No one was injured in the incident, which started at 6:30 a.m. with a report of a solicitor in an Antioch neighborhood, and led to local schools being placed on soft lockdown, area homes being evacuated and Metra halting inbound and outbound traffic north of Lake Villa. A family member told the Daily Herald the man involved is his foster brother was a former military member who has "mental issues."

"I'm glad he's safe. I'm glad no one got hurt," Rob Zajac told the Daily Herald, adding later, "I hope he gets help. Hopefully, this will get help for him."

The man and woman were taken into custody just after 1 p.m. at a home in the 40500 block of North Route 83 in Antioch Township after an officer forced his way in after the man and woman held police at bay for several hours, according to the Daily Herald.

The incident began early Wednesday morning when Antioch Police Department officers responded to an address in the 400 block of Donin Road in Antioch for a solicitor complaint, according to a Lake County Sheriff's Office news release. When officers arrived, they attempted to stop and speak with a male and a female who were inside of a vehicle. Officers activated their emergency lights and sirens, but the driver of the vehicle did not, authorities said.

The driver of the vehicle struck an Antioch Police car. A witness to the incident reported he saw a long-barrel weapon pointed out of the passenger side window of the offending vehicle and heard a gunshot. The offending vehicle fled at a high rate of speed, police said.

A short time later, the vehicle was located at a residence in the 40500 block of North Route 83 in Antioch Township, which is a single-family home that is subdivided into several rental units.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies and Antioch Police Officers established a perimeter around the residence made attempts to communicate with the occupants. They also evacuated the residence. Authorities also closed Route 83 between Beach Grove and Grass Lake Road and Metra halted inbound and outbound trains for about an hour Wednesday morning.

Route 83 between Beach Grove and Grass Lake Road has been closed and Metra halted inbound and outbound trains traveling past Lake Villa for about an hour on Wednesday morning. In addition, all Lake Villa District 41, Antioch District 34, Emmons District 33, and Antioch High School District 117 schools were placed on soft lockdown, the Daily Herald reports.

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