Richmond man made false 911 call: battered officers

A 39-year-old Richmond man accused of calling 911 and falsely reporting an active shooter is set to appear in a felony courtroom Wednesday for bond hearing.

Paul W. Gunn, of the 10300 block of West Street, was arrested Friday and charged with five counts of felony aggravated assault of a police officer and two counts of felony disorderly conduct as well as misdemeanor resisting a police officer, according to criminal complaints filed in the McHenry County courthouse.

Gunn is accused of calling 911 and reporting a “subject actively shooting at people” from the same address where Gunn is listed as living. When calling 911, he knew “there were no reasonable grounds for making the call” and knew by making the call emergency agencies would respond, according to the criminal complaint.

He also is accused of telling the officers who arrived there was an active shooter and saying, “Are you ready to die? I’m ready to die. Come inside I have a lot of guns.”

Police also said that while trying to arrest Gunn he resisted and injured one of the officer’s left hands, causing a laceration across the knuckle of his index finger peeling off the skin. He also caused injury to the right hands of two other officers during the arrest, according to the criminal complaint.

Gunn also is accused of stiffening his arms, interlocking his hands, and laying on top of them as to not allow officers to cuff him, according to the complaint.

Gunn currently is in custody at the McHenry County Jail on $50,000, according to the jail website. He is required to post $5,000 to be released.

His attorney, Assistant Public Defender Richard Behof, filed a motion Monday seeking a recognizance bond or a reduction in Gunn’s bond. Behof wrote in his motion that Gunn is not financially able to pay this bond, is not a flight risk nor is a danger to society.