Charges pending against men caught waving guns near Harvey school

HARVEY, Ill. (WLS) -- Charges are pending against five men who were caught waving fake guns near Thornton Township High School in south suburban Harvey.

Police said the men reportedly stuck paintball guns out of the window of a van they were driving in near East 105th Street and Broadway Avenue.

An officer said he saw the men point the paintball guns at passers-by. Police was people in the community to know this kind of behavior is not a joke.

"If they were to point this at the wrong person outside of their vehicle and they shoot back and they got real bullets flying at their head, now we have to run out and protect them for something they did with guns in their hand," he said.

The officer said the men pointed one of the paintball guns at him when he walked up to the vehicle, so he drew his own gun. He then disarmed the men, grabbed the paintball gun by the barrel.

The officer said he didn't know the gun was fake at the time, so all are fortunate this didn't end differently.