Clerk Lied To Police About Gun-Brandishing Customer: Attorney

NORTHBROOK, IL — A Mobil gas station clerk was arrested last week after allegedly lying to police about a customer pointing a gun at him.

According to Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Gina Pensa, Mohammed Fazal, 47, of Palatine, was charged with class 4 felony disorderly conduct.

Fazal, a clerk at the Mobil station at 501 Dundee Road, Northbrook, called police at 5:41 p.m. on Aug. 28 to report an armed man pointing a gun at him, Pensa said.

Fazal gave police a description of the person and his car, but when officers found the customer nearby and Fazal identified him, he did not have a gun on him or his car.

"Video from the gas station shows the victim entering the station and approaching the defendant," Pensa said. "However, no gun is ever observed on the victim at any time."

Pensa said Fazal admitted to lying about the customer brandishing a gun, and said as far as she knew, the two of them shared a "customer-attendee relationship."

Though Pensa didn't say whether video showed a fight between Fazal and the customer, Cook County Assistant Public Defender Jarnail Kanda said there was "a physical altercation" between Fazal and the defendant.

Fazal, who has no criminal background, was released on a signature bond and forbidden from having contact with the customer, Pensa said.

He is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 23, though Kanda said it was unlikely prosecutors would be able to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

"There was a physical altercation with that person and this defendant," Kanda said. "And because of the language problem there was some kind of misunderstanding between the police and (Fazal) because when he communicated the police misunderstood."

Fazal apologized and said "I was very scared" before his public defender interrupted him and stopped him from further self-incrimination, Pensa said.

Cook County Associate Judge John Calabrese said police officers are endangered when heading to a call of a person with a gun.

"That officer may make a miscalculation and judgement based on misinformation given to him by someone, arguably, like the defendant and tragedy can result," Calabrese said.