Man Jumped Into Road, Pointed Gun At Car In West Chicago: Prosecutors

WEST CHICAGO, IL — A West Chicago man faces multiple felony charges after police say he ran into Arbor Street and pointed a gun at a car Saturday while Railroad Days was underway.

Ryan Ratcliff, 35, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a repeat felony offender, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and aggravated unlawful possesion of a weapon.

Police were called to Arbor Street around 8:40 p.m. on June 28 for reports that there was a man with a gun in the steet. Someone told police Ratcliff "jumped into the road from a grassy area, approached their car and pointed a handgun at them," a news release said.They then fled.

Officers say they spotted Ratcliff shortly after in a liquor store parking lot near the intersection of Washington and Arbor Streets.

Police say they talked to Ratcliff and did not find a gun on him, but went inside the liquor store and found a gun that had been put behind bottles on one of the store shelves.

According to prosecutors, Ratcliff put the gun behind the bottles and then left the store. The car was later shown as stolen from Chicago on June 11, police say.

“It is alleged that Mr. Ratcliff, a man currently on parole with multiple felony convictions, was illegally in possession of a loaded handgun at an extremely crowded, family-friendly summer festival,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement

Berlin added, “The thought of an individual with a violent background such as Mr. Ratcliff’s, allegedly in possession of a loaded handgun with thousands of people about enjoying an evening with family and friends, is extremely disturbing."

Ratcliff is set to appear in court July 28.