Chicago Man Accused Of Flinging A Gun Into Lake Michigan
By Rachel Cromidas in News on Jun 13, 2016 4:35PM
Juan Lopez, CPD handout
In the midst of a bloody weekend of local gun violence, a man was arrested for allegedly trying to get rid of a gun by throwing it into Lake Michigan.
Juan M. Lopez, 23, of the 5300 block of South Sacramento Avenue, was charged with two felony counts of unlawful use of a weapon after a bike cop patrolling the Lake Front path saw him throw a handgun into the Lake Sunday evening. Lopez was near the 1400 block of South Lynn White Drive on the South Side of the lakefront when the bike patroller saw him standing with a group of people and drinking alcohol around 7:50 p.m. (drinking in public on Park District property is illegal, and people who are caught doing it usually get ticketed.)
As the officer got closer, Lopez walked toward the lake, reached into his pants pocket and removed a black handgun, which the officer saw him throw into the lake, according to a police department release. The police department's Marine Unit dispatched a diver to retrieve the handgun from the water.
Lopez was arrested and he is scheduled to be arraigned at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse Monday afternoon.