Man Charged Following Shots Fired-Call on Walnut

As part of safety procedures, officers are not wearing their uniforms home, including footwear, to protect their families. (Photo: PFPD) — Rows of duty boots stand ready in front of police lockers. New safety procedures at the PFPD are in effect due to COVID-19. Officers are not wearing their uniforms home, including footwear, to protect their families. (Photo: PFPD)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- A Park Forest man allegedly confessed to firing a gun several times after police were called to investigate a report of shots fired. Varon D. Lowe, 26, 510 Wildwood Dr., Park Forest, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. The vehicle he was driving was towed and impounded.

No one was shot or hurt.

Police were dispatched to the 100 block of Walnut Street on November 22 at 9:31 PM to investigate a report of shots fired. Four separate callers reported hearing the shots.

An officer in the area responded and saw a man across the street and enter a white Mercedes-Benz S430, according to police. As the officer continued and began getting closer to the Mercedes-Benz, the driver of that vehicle, later identified as Varon D. Lowe, began to signal to the officer to get his squad car out of the way, according to police.

Due to the nature of the call and the location of the callers, the officer attempted to speak with both occupants of the vehicle, shining his spotlight into the car and partially positioning his squad to prevent the Mercedes-Benz from leaving, according to police. Because of the positioning of the officer’s squad vehicle and that of another officer who responded, Mr. Lowe was unable to continue driving, according to police.

Shortly after, Mr. Lowe opened his driver’s side door and began exiting the vehicle, according to police. The first officer who responded instructed Mr. Lowe to “stay in the car,” according to the report. Immediately after the officer issued these instructions, Mr. Lowe stopped and raised his hands in the air, according to police.

Given the nature of the call and the fact that there was another occupant in the vehicle, the officer drew his departmental issued handgun and pointed it towards Mr. Lowe, according to police. Mr. Lowe and the passenger were detained.

After appearing to be free from any weapons, the first officer who responded visually inspected the rear seat of the Mercedes-Benz at which point he found a small black handgun laying on top of clothing items that were on the floor, according to police. The officer who found the gun told the other officers at the scene about the weapon.

Police marked all shell casings found near Mr. Lowe’s vehicle, according to police.

The Mercedes-Benz was towed and impounded, according to police.

Inside the car, police also found a box of .22 caliber ammunition, according to police. The ammunition was in a shoe that was located on the driver’s side rear floorboard underneath a large pile of clothing, according to police.

Police also found cannabis and an open 375 mL bottle of cognac inside the car as well.

The first officer at the scene arrested Mr. Lowe and brought him to the Park Forest Police Department where a gunshot residue [GSR] kit was completed. While conducting the GSR kit, Mr. Lowe allegedly told the arresting officer that he had discharged the weapon, according to police.

According to police, Mr. Lowe several times allegedly stated that he discharged a weapon, according to the report.