Dupage Policy Journal

WHEATON – DuPage County Judge James Orel denied bond to Anthony Brown of Chicago on Dec. 10, after State’s Attorney Robert Berlin charged him with attempted murder of a Lombard policeman.

Officers arrested Brown on Dec. 8, after an officer fatally shot his alleged partner Pierre Thompson.

Berlin issued a statement that, “In DuPage County we will not sit idly by while criminals terrorize our communities.”

According to a Lombard police report, Thompson and Brown masked their faces and entered the Pipes and Tobacco shop at 54 West Roosevelt Road.

The report states they brandished a gun and ordered an employee to open the cash register.

They took money, the report says, and brought the employee to the back of the store where they encountered the shop owner.

They allegedly ordered the owner and the employee to the floor and hit the owner on the head with the gun. They stole the men’s wallets, their telephones, and $600 from a file cabinet.

Police responded to a call and encountered two individuals.

The person later identified as Thompson approached the officers and opened fire as they exited the vehicle.

The shot struck an officer in the leg and the officer returned fire.

Police took Brown into custody in seconds.

Thompson and the officer were taken to a hospital where Thompson was pronounced dead.

Police say Thompson’s gun had been modified with a switch to enable it to fire as a fully automatic weapon.

Lombard Police Chief Roy Newton issued a statement that, “It is truly unfortunate that one of our officers was forced to either return gunfire or be killed himself.”

He stated Lombard has a high quality of life thanks to officers such as those who responded.

“They put their lives on the line every time they put on their badge,” he said.

State’s Attorney Berlin stated they quickly brought a tense and rapidly evolving situation under control.

He thanked assistant state’s attorneys Helen Kapas and Joseph Lindt for preparing a strong case.

In addition to attempted murder he charged Brown with aggravated battery, discharge of a firearm at an officer, and armed robbery.

He stated Brown faces 45 to 121 years in the corrections department.

Judge John Kinsella has set Brown’s arraignment Dec. 27.