Crime & Safety
Woman Livestreamed As She Threatened Employers With Gun In West Chicago: Cops
Police say Imani Nickson, 23, of Aurora, streamed on Facebook Live as she pointed a loaded gun at two of her employers.
WEST CHICAGO, IL — A DuPage County judge denied the pre-trial release of an Aurora woman who threatened her West Chicago employers with a loaded gun while livestreaming the incident, according to prosecutors.
Imani Nickson, 23, had her first court appearance Friday before Judge Joshua Dieden regarding two felony counts of intimidation and two misdemeanor counts each of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct.
A day earlier, around 11:56 a.m., West Chicago police were called to Evans and Son Blacktop, a paving contractor at 3N775 Powis Road, after one of the victims, a pregnant woman, called to report an incident involving an employee, identified as Nickson, and a Glock 43x handgun.
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Prosecutors say a preliminary investigation indicated that Nickson entered the building, had a discussion with the owners of the company about not getting paid, and was then asked to leave. Instead, the woman pulled out the loaded gun, pointed it at the two victims and began broadcasting the incident on Facebook Live, according to police.
The pregnant woman also told police that Nickson pointed the weapon at her face and threatened to shoot the man. Nickson surrendered the gun when officers entered the building, prosecutors said.
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"Workplace disputes are not uncommon, but brandishing a loaded weapon and threatening your employer, as alleged in this case, is a terrifying act of intimidation and has no place in civilized society," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. "Violence is never the answer, and my office will not hesitate to file charges and hold accountable anyone who exhibits the type of behavior alleged in this case. We are all thankful that the victims in this case were not physically harmed, and I commend the West Chicago Police Department for their outstanding efforts in bringing a tense situation quickly under control and safely resolving this matter before anyone got hurt."
Nickson's next court appearance is set for Aug. 4 in front of Judge Brian Telander.
Patch Editor Emily Rosca contributed reporting.
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