Wicker Park

4 Charged After Weapons Seized at Wicker Park Party

A search of the building found a total of 24 handguns, a semiautomatic weapon and a short barrel rifle, police said

Four men are facing felony charges after police took them into custody and seized over 25 weapons Saturday at a “gang-related party” at an Airbnb in Wicker Park.

Martrell Williams, 22, and Alexander Raeland, 41, were each charged with aggravated battery of a police officer, Chicago police said. James Holmes, 25, also faces that charge, as well as three misdemeanor counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer.

Lamont Clay, 27, was charged with a felony count of resisting and obstructing a police officer as well as a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct, police said.

All four were arrested just after 2 a.m. Saturday after police received a tip that there was a party of between 100 and 150 people, including dozens who were displaying multiple guns live on social media, police said.

As officers entered the building, people came streaming out, pushing and fighting the police and “discarding weapons as they fled,” police said. During the melee, the four men were taken into custody.

Cook County prosecutors said that officers knew the location was an Airbnb, and that the four men were physically aggressive with the officers. Raeland allegedly pushed a police captain and called him an expletive, while Holmes was said to have bumped into an officer before swinging his arms.

Williams initially left the party before heading back to push one officer in the arm and slam into another with his shoulder, prosecutors said. Clay allegedly resisted arrest by grabbing onto railings and doors.

Police performed “emergency takedowns” on all four men, which included tasing Holmes, who said that he only bumped into the officer because he was pushed from behind, according to prosecutors. Both Holmes and Williams allegedly admitted to being drunk.

A search of the building found a total of 24 handguns, a semiautomatic weapon and a short barrel rifle, police said.

All four men are convicted felons and are scheduled to appear in bond court Sunday.

Copyright CHIST - SunTimes
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