KNOX, Ind. (STMW) — A man wanted in connection with the theft of a valuable macaw in Naperville fired 50 to 60 shots with an assault rifle and a handgun as Indiana authorities attempted to serve a warrant Monday, police testified in court Wednesday.
Naperville police on Tuesday confirmed that Michael Drogosz, 27, is the man believed responsible for the Jan. 19 theft of a green, 7-month-old female macaw from the Petland store at 720 S. Route 59, opposite the Westfield Fox Valley shopping center in Aurora.
Police Sgt. Brian Cunningham said information reported through Naperville Crime Stoppers led Friday to the macaw’s recovery and put investigators on Drogosz’s trail.
That trail led to the Bass Lake area in Starke County, Ind. Starke County sheriff’s Officer John Ferguson and Detective Bill Dulin said at Wednesday’s hearing they went Monday to 5196 E. Summerhome Drive in Bass Lake to serve Drogosz with an Illinois felony warrant for the Naperville theft.
Ferguson testified that the officers heard a commotion inside when they knocked on the door. Dulin went to the back of the home.
A woman answered, he testified, and at first said Drogosz wasn’t at the residence. But Ferguson said he pressured her, and she said Drogosz was inside but that he had a lot of guns inside.
Ferguson and Dulin put the woman in the police car of Detective Ken Pfost, who had arrived, along with several other officers, for backup. Ferguson said the woman told him Drogosz had placed weapons in all the rooms, that they were loaded, with clips taped together to quickly change expired clips, and that he was wearing body armor and had other body armor in the home.
Ferguson said he then used a loudspeaker to ask Drogosz to come out of the home.
At that point, a man, later identified as James Reed, came out of the building, Ferguson testified.
In the meantime, Ferguson said, a man later identified as 23-year-old John Brooke appeared out of a woods from a nearby golf course. He was approaching the home wearing an armored vest and carrying an assault rifle. Officer Fred Baker, who had posted himself at the side of the house, ordered Brooke to drop his weapon, Ferguson testified, which he did. But when Baker attempted to handcuff him, Brooke fought him, they fell to the ground, and Brooke reached into his coat, Ferguson said, where police later found a handgun.
Brooke later ran from the squad car and to his uncle’s house, where he picked up a dog, police said, and ran back with the dog in front of him, police said. Police said Brooke told them, “I didn’t flee, I didn’t flee, I was protecting my family.”
Meanwhile, Ferguson again asked Drogosz to come out, but instead, Drogosz allegedly fired a shot, which came about four inches from Dulin, who was now crouched behind his car, near the wheel well, Ferguson testified.
Ferguson said he thought Drogosz had shot himself in a suicide attempt, but instead, about 15 seconds later, he opened fire, scattering fire.
Ferguson stood and returned fire. The woman signaled from the police car that she wanted to get out of firing range. Ferguson again stood up, and fired his weapon three times to cover her.
Drogosz continued to fire, eventually spending 50 to 60 rounds from his handgun and assault rifle, riddling most of one squad car and a part of another, Ferguson testified.
Ferguson said he told Dulin, who was too close to Drogosz’s fire, to get ready, and he fired his handgun and yelled, “Run, run, run,” as he fired.
Ferguson then moved to behind Pfost’s car and told Pfost to take cover farther from the home, but Pfost said he wouldn’t leave Ferguson by himself.
Finally, a SWAT team arrived from Pulaski County, and they quickly ended the standoff, firing tear gas rounds into a back bedroom. A fire started in the house, and Drogosz finally left the home and was captured.
Firefighters standing by put out the fire, which had damaged most of a bedroom. Smoke damage wafted throughout the house.
A State Police technician, with a search warrant, went into the house, and with ATF officers, found more than 30 SKS 308 fully automatic assault rifles, with 30-round clips that were taped together in pairs, a duffel bag with Molatov cocktails and a pipe bomb that was attached to a propane tank.
The woman said she had purchased the small propane tank at a farm store in Knox.
Brooke claimed in court that “all of his guns were legally purchased.”
The pair are expected to return to Starke Circuit Court on Friday for an initial hearing. Starke County Prosecutor Julianne Havens told the court Wednesday that Drogosz is being held on $500,000 bond. Brooke is being held on $1 million bond.
Havens said Drogosz could face additional charges of attempted criminal recklessness, and a serious violent felon in possession of firearm charge, both Class C felonies; as well as attempted aggravated battery, a Class D felony.
Brooke could face three Class C felonies: intimidation, escape and possession of a destructive device; as well as resisting law enforcement, unlawful use of body armor and assisting a criminal, all D felonies.
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