A man was critically injured Tuesday after being shot by police as he held a woman hostage at knife-point in Round Lake.
The suspect, a 33-year-old, was transported to a hospital with critical injuries, but is expected to survive, according to the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, which is investigating the incident.
The victim, a 30-year-old woman, sustained minor injuries during the attack, was evaluated by paramedics but declined to go to the hospital, authorities said.
At about 6:35 p.m. Tuesday, Round Lake police officers were dispatched to a residence on North Park Road for an unknown problem. Upon arrival, officers spoke to a woman outside the home who said there was a woman in the basement who needed help.
The homeowner answered the door, and allowed the officers inside. The homeowner told officers that a man and a woman live in the downstairs basement of the residence. Round Lake officers attempted to speak to the downstairs residents through the basement door in attempt to figure out what was happening.
Meanwhile, an officer on the outside of the residence looked through the basement window and saw the man holding a knife to the woman’s throat, according to reports. Round Lake police officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, but the man refused to put the knife down or release the victim, officials said.
Due to the nature of the situation, the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS) and a regional SWAT team were called to the scene. Both the victim and the man are Spanish-speaking, so Spanish linguists were on-scene to lead communication efforts.
During negotiation efforts, the man grew “increasingly agitated” and refused to drop the knife or follow instructions, the release stated.
Two members of NIPAS discharged their firearms, hitting the suspect.
Members from NIPAS were able to rescue the victim from the man’s grip, the release said. Police officers provided aid to the suspect until paramedics arrived.
The two officers involved in the shooting were transported to area hospitals for evaluation, per protocol.
The initial woman police encountered outside of the home was an acquaintance of the victim, who the victim attempted to contact while being attacked, authorities said.
Evidence, including two knives, was collected from the scene. Charges against the man who took the victim hostage are pending, the release said.
