Evanston police say charges have been filed against two teens after they allegedly tried to invade a home in the 2100 block of Ewing Avenue about 6:30 Friday night.
In a message sent to a neighborhood watch group, Police Chief Richard Eddington said a couple in their early 70s lived in the home.
When the homeowner answered the doorbell he found three teenagers standing at the door who asked if it was the Hanson residence. Told nobody by that name lived there, the youths left but returned and asked for a phone book and to use the phone and restroom.
When the homeowners refused, one of the youths displayed a handgun and the homeowner slammed the door in their face.
The youths fled, and the homeowner called police with a description. Police stopped three suspects about a half mile away at the intersection of Golf Road and McCormick Boulevard and found an orange hoodie the homeowner said one of the youths was wearing discarded nearby in the 2100 block of Bennett.
A Skokie police dog located a gun believed used in the incident, and police say the homeowner identified the suspects as the youths who’d tried to break into the house.
A 17-year-old youth and a 15-year-old juvenile have been charged with two counts of home invasion and a second 15-year-old was released without charges.
Eddington told Evanston Now this morning that homeowners need to be aware of their surroundings and not let unknown people into their homes.
“The people targeted in this incident handled it very well,” Eddington said, “I think it can be a model for discussing how to avoid being victimized.”
Update 1:30 p.m. 5/2/11: Evanston police this afternoon identified the 17-year-old arrested as Cristian Hernandez of 2001 Grey Ave. in Evanston. He’s scheduled to appear in district court in Skokie at 9:30 a.m. on May 11.
Police response
I was present at McDaniel & Golf while this event was unfolding. While I sat waiting to pass through the intersection I counted at least 13 police vehicles from both Evanston and Skokie working in harmony to effectively serve and protect. As I did not know what, exactly, was going on until now, I must say although there was clearly a large police presence and I did hear officers yelling to each other that they were still searching for the offenders, I felt the low key method in which they dealt with this situation was well managed and must have had a lot to do with their success in finding the offenders. I hope the youths involved find the guidance they need to choose a different path for their futures.