Chicago man charged after being found with loaded, stolen gun in Joliet

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Terrion Townsel | Joliet police

JOLIET, Ill. - A Chicago man faces multiple felony charges after officers recovered a loaded, stolen handgun following a disturbance last weekend at a downtown Joliet building.

What we know:

Officers responded around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday to a reported disturbance at the Joliet Gateway Center, where two men had been arguing inside a restroom before the confrontation spilled into the main lobby, police said. A security guard attempted to intervene and alerted officers that one of the men appeared to be reaching for a backpack in a way that suggested he might be armed.

Police later located the suspect near Eastern Avenue and Washington Street and identified him as 34-year-old Terrion Townsel of Chicago. Officers said Townsel stood near a partially open backpack and denied having a firearm. When officers attempted to conduct a pat-down, Townsel resisted, ignored commands and tried to run away, according to police.

During a struggle, Townsel fell to the ground and attempted to grab the backpack, prompting an officer to deploy a Taser. He was taken into custody, and officers recovered a loaded 9mm handgun from the backpack. A records check showed the firearm had been reported stolen from Chicago.

After being taken to the Joliet Police Department, Townsel complained of a medical issue and was transported by the Joliet Fire Department to St. Joseph Medical Center. Police said he was released from the hospital three days later but refused to cooperate with processing.

Townsel was charged with aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, unlawful use or possession of a weapon by a felon, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of a stolen firearm, obstructing justice, and two counts of resisting or obstructing a peace officer. 

He was later transferred to the Will County Adult Detention Facility.