Dart Apologizes for Mistaken Raid on Elderly Couple

Sheriff blames mix-up on less-than-forthcoming informant

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has issued a public apology to an elderly Ukrainian immigrant couple whose home was the site of a mistaken weapon and drug raid by his police officers.

"We apologize. We felt horrible. Nobody likes it when you don’t perform the way you should perform," Dart said Monday before marching in the Columbus Day parade, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Andrij Jakymec, 89, was asleep and his 84-year-old wife was getting ready for bed when nearly two dozen heavily armed members of Dart's police department broke down the front and back doors of their home near Midway Airport late Thursday night.

"I was scared," Anna Jakymec said hours after the ordeal.  "I thought it was gang."

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the mistake may have been the fault of an informant who pointed out the wrong house to officers.

"Most of the criminals that I’ve dealt with usually aren’t very forthcoming in giving me a heads-up about where they’re hiding their cocaine, which was what we were looking for at this home," Dart said.

Dart is running for re-election Nov. 2 while simultaneously considering a run for Chicago mayor next year.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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