Rogers Park Standoff: Guman Threatening Suicide at 7738 North Sheridan Rd.

Man threatening Suicide: 7738 N. Sheridan Road in Rogers Park. Photo: Google Earth.

Early this morning, police surrounded the condo building at 7738 North Sheridan Road in Rogers Park. Inside, in a third floor apartment, an armed man is threatening to kill himself.

I began my coverage of this event at 1:16 a.m.

Authorities on the scene were extremely cautious. Officers in the immediate area were asked to turn off their “blue lights”. Police also shutdown North Rogers Avenue and West Juneway Terrace, at North Sheridan Road.

Chicago SWAT team members set up a command post on the 7600 block of North Sheridan Road. Additional units responding to the precarious situation were asked to take North Western Avenue to West Howard Street, then travel eastbound to the command center.

According one source, the man barricaded in the 3rd floor apartment was possibly armed with a high-powered riffle.

2:15 a.m.: The offender apparently asked to speak with his wife on the phone. A negotiator denied his request. A female officer sternly delivered the message, “Do not... I repeat, do not let him speak to his wife on the phone.”

2:21 a.m.: Officers were told to avoid using the front entrance and enter the building through the back stairwell.

2:31 a.m.: Officers were advised to watch the front door. Presumably, the main entrance of the condo building.

As of 6:44 a.m., the armed suspect has refused to surrender.