SWAT team, police descend on Highland residence

Emergency calls reporting gunshots and a stabbing inside a Highland residence Tuesday morning prompted activation of a regional law enforcement tactical team.

However, police said the move was only a precaution, and they determined there was no threat to the public.

“We believe we have in custody, or have talked to, everyone we believe to be involved,” Highland Police Lt. Chris Conrad said Tuesday afternoon as tactical units were leaving the scene. “We continue to investigate, but at this time, we have no reason to believe there is any danger.”

Highland Police Chief Terry bell said the call came in around 10 a.m.

“We received a 911 call from a subject, a man, who said he was assaulted by knife point in his bed,” Bell said.

When police officers arrived at the scene, the caller exited the house. Bell said the man told police he used a shotgun to “get rid of the assailant.” Bell said the man was bleeding, though his wounds were minor and superficial.

“He was treated and released from the hospital. He is OK,” Bell said.

It was the second time that morning police had been called to the residence. The first call came around 7 a.m.

“The individual was experiencing some sort of personal crisis,” said Conrad, adding the caller was a man in his 30s.

After a search warrant was obtained to search the home, the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) tactical team was called to make sure no one else was in the home, located near Cedar Street and Broadway on the west side of the city.

“The important thing to understand is that when we do that (call out the tactical team), it is a procedural issue where we do that just to keep everybody safe,” Conrad said.

Emergency crews withdrew from the area around 1 p.m.

This story was originally published October 24, 2017 at 12:45 PM with the headline "SWAT team, police descend on Highland residence."