Man found with gun, 97 rounds of ammunition, in St. Charles elementary school parking lot

ST. CHARLES TOWNSHIP – A Missouri man was charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon after deputies found him asleep in an elementary school parking lot with a loaded handgun and 97 live rounds of ammunition, according to Kane County Sheriff’s reports.

Deputies on patrol observed a green 2002 GMC pickup truck with Missouri plates at about 2 a.m. July 7 in the parking lot of Ferson Creek Elementary School, 38W160 Bolcum Road, St. Charles Township, the report stated.

Deputies talked to the truck’s occupant, Brian W. Ekstrom, 37, of the 200 block of Windsor Bay Drive, Camdenton, Mo., who said he was visiting and could not get a hold of a friend who lives in St. Charles – where he was supposed to stay – so he stopped to sleep in the parking lot, the report stated.

When the deputy asked Ekstrom if he had any weapons in the vehicle, Ekstrom said he had a loaded pistol in a backpack in the front passenger seat, the report stated.

The deputy asked if he had a permit for the firearm; Ekstrom replied that he did not, the report stated.

The deputy ordered him out of the vehicle for the safety of both of them, the report stated.

“Once outside the vehicle, Brian stated the state of Missouri does not require a permit to carry a firearm,” the report stated. “I then explained to Brian that Illinois does not honor any permits, licenses nor regulations from other states for owning and or carrying a firearm.”

The deputy placed Ekstrom in handcuffs, seated him in the rear of his squad car while he continued a search of the pickup truck, the report stated.

In the backpack Ekstrom mentioned, the deputy found a .40 caliber Ruger handgun, loaded with a magazine with 13 live rounds and one in the chamber for a total of 14, the report stated.

The deputy found two more magazines in the same backpack, one of which was empty, the second one contained nine more rounds of live ammunition, the report stated.

The backpack with the handgun and magazines were immediately next to the driver’s seat, making it easily accessible to the driver, the report stated.

The deputy located 74 more live rounds of the same caliber in the center console of the vehicle, the report stated.

The deputy searched Ekstrom’s records and confirmed that he did not possess a valid FOID card or concealed carry license. He also checked the Ruger pistol’s serial number and it came back clear, the report stated.

Ekstrom was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, a Class 3 felony, punishable by two to five years in prison and fines up to $25,000, if convicted.

Court records show Ekstrom posted $90 as bail or 10% of the $900 bond that was set.

The court allowed Ekstrom to return to Missouri while his case is pending in Illinois. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 22, records show.