ILLINOIS — Four individuals, including two teenagers, were arrested in Rockford after a police pursuit on Friday night led to a crash and the recovery of stolen weapons, according to officials.
Rockford Police say the operation was carried out by their Specialized Community Oriented Policing Enforcement (SCOPE) unit, which had attempted to stop a suspect vehicle connected to a prior chase. When officers tried to initiate a stop near Broadway and 25th Street around 7 p.m., the driver sped off.
Chase Ends in Crash at Local Gas Station
Officers used StarChase GPS tracking technology to tag the fleeing vehicle. Moments later, the suspect’s car crashed into another vehicle near Broadway and Parkside, then continued into the Circle K gas station parking lot at 3819 Broadway.
All four occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody at the scene. Officers recovered three handguns from inside the car, including:
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One with an extended magazine
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One with a laser attachment
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One reported stolen out of Beloit
Arrests and Charges Filed
Police identified two of the suspects as 18-year-olds:
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Tarrel Gardner, of Belvidere
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Charged with Aggravated Possession of a Weapon and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Gang Member
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Jasmine Gatch, of Elkhorn, Wisconsin
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Charged with Aggravated Fleeing, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, and Driving Without a Valid License
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Two 17-year-olds from Rockford were also arrested:
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One teen was charged with:
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Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon
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Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Gang Member
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Possession of Ammunition
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No Valid FOID card
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The second teen faces charges for:
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Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon
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No Valid FOID card
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Details were confirmed in a report by WTVO News.
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