Hours after Will County prosecutors appeared at a court hearing with a Lynwood police officer charged in a bizarre two-state shooting spree, they set him free Tuesday evening with an apology and the hope that he understands their error.
A relieved Brian Dorian, 37, was released from Will County Jail as local law enforcement officials dropped a murder charge against him and resumed their hunt for a man known as the “honeybee gunman.” Dorian had been held in lieu of $2.5 million bail since his arrest Friday morning at his Crete home.
“I feel horrible that Brian Dorian went through this,” Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow said. “I certainly would apologize for any inconvenience he has suffered. But at the same time, he is a police officer, and if he were in our shoes … Brian Dorian would have acted the same way.”
Lynwood police Chief Russell Pearson accused prosecutors of damaging Dorian’s reputation and dragging his fellow officers “through the mud.”
“The Will County state’s attorney owes the victims of the attacks, their families, Brian Dorian, the officers of the Lynwood Police Department and the residents of the village of Lynwood an apology for rushing to judgment, thereby causing a great deal of pain and suffering for everyone involved,” Pearson said in a statement.
Dorian had been charged with only one of the shootings — the fatal attack on Rolando Alonso, 45, a construction worker who police say was randomly gunned down Oct. 5 while rehabbing a home near Beecher. Coworker Josh Garza, 19, was shot above his right eye and survived, but the bullet remains lodged in the back of his brain, relatives say. He is unable to communicate except with hand gestures.
A third construction worker, who is 19, escaped unharmed and identified Dorian after being shown an 8-year-old driver’s license photograph of the officer, sources said.
But Keith Dahl, 64, an Indiana farmer who was shot and robbed of $60 about 40 minutes later by a man who asked about honeybees, was unable to identify Dorian when he was shown a photo array in the hospital, police said.
Police looking for a truck that matched witness descriptions stopped Dorian in Schererville, Ind., shortly after Dahl was shot. After flashing his badge, he was released without his truck being searched. But police noted he was carrying his Glock service weapon, and sources said the traffic stop ended up being a crucial clue for prosecutors when they decided to charge Dorian.
Police have been unable to find the Colt revolver thought to have been used in the shootings.
The case against Dorian began to unravel Tuesday afternoon when his lawyers presented prosecutors with evidence that the officer had been on his home computer the morning of the shootings, defense attorney Dave Carlson said. Dorian had previously told police that he had checked his e-mail and then watched ESPN and a local newscast around the time the crimes took place.
Will County Sheriff Paul Kaupas acknowledged that he had doubts about Dorian’s involvement and continued to investigate the shootings even after the officer’s arrest.
“We were on the fence on this case,” Kaupas said. “We had questions in our minds.”
Lake County, Ind., authorities also had misgivings about Dorian’s connection and never charged him with the shooting in their jurisdiction. Sheriff Roy Dominguez said Tuesday that his department continues to seek information on a suspect.
“Our case remains open, and we will continue to look for more information in a very deliberate and methodical manner,” Dominguez said.
Glasgow contends he made the correct decision when he approved charges against Dorian last week. Citing “uncanny circumstantial evidence,” Glasgow said the arrest made sense given the eyewitness’s description of the shooter and his truck.
The state’s attorney credited his office for ferreting out the computer evidence that cleared Dorian.
“In this particular case, I guess Brian Dorian can thank God for computer technology,” Glasgow said.
Dorian’s attorney said his client was “relieved” to be released but is concerned about the shooter’s whereabouts.
“He’s a police officer, and he’s worried that there’s a murderer still on the loose,” attorney Bob Odekirk said. “He expressed that to us all along.”
Dorian is expected back in court Wednesday morning, when prosecutors will formally drop the charges.
His release was met with jubilation by his friends and family, many of whom wore “Free Brian” T-shirts and packed a Will County courtroom Tuesday morning as his attorney entered a plea of not guilty. Some wept openly at the hearing, but Dorian, who appeared via a video feed, did not show any reaction during the short proceeding.
Brian Dorian’s mother, Diane, was at his Crete home Tuesday evening cleaning and taking care of his dog before he arrived.
“The truths have come out,” she said. “There will be comments from attorneys tomorrow.”
She said her son is glad the ordeal is over. “He’s relieved, he’s tired. He needs rest.”
From the start, Dorian’s supporters, including a number of fellow Lynwood police officers, had questioned whether authorities charged the right man. Outside the hearing, some wondered if the arrest was made for political reasons. Sheriff Kaupas is up for re-election Nov. 2. A spokesman denied politics were involved.
When Dorian’s arraignment was set for Nov. 9, a few supporters loudly scoffed. “Perfect — after the elections,” one said.
“Brian Dorian is a caring, loving man and a … good cop,” said Tim Smith, a retired Lynwood police sergeant. “He is innocent, and he’s been accused of a heinous act. I told the family to keep their chin up, this is still America.”
Smith said “everyone in the (Lynwood) department is supporting him” and called the case one of mistaken identity.
Dorian — a 1991 graduate of Thornton Fractional South High School in Lansing, where he played on the baseball team — joined the Lynwood Police Department in 2003. He has been on leave since October 2009 after sustaining a shoulder injury while on duty.
Tuesday night at Benny’s Place, a Lynwood bar where friends had held a benefit a day before to raise money for Dorian’s legal defense fund, some patrons booed and cursed Glasgow as his image appeared on the 9 p.m. news. Many expressed relief that their faith in Dorian had been rewarded.
“I keep saying that the biggest story is how the Lynwood police and the town of Lynwood has had his back the entire time,” said longtime friend Tim Horneman, of Schererville.
Friend Michelle Graves, 37, described how she began shaking when she received a text message alerting her of Dorian’s release.
“He’s coming home where he belongs,” she said.
Tribune reporters Stacy St. Clair, Liam Ford and Andy Grimm contributed to this report, with freelance reporters Dennis Sullivan and Alice Fabbre.
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