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EAST CHICAGO — Gary City Council President Ron Brewer was arrested over the weekend on allegations he tracked down his stolen vehicle Sunday night, fired a gun at two teenagers, and kidnapped and drove one of the teens to Gary.
“We don’t know if these are the kids who stole his car, so for him not to contact us and for him to take the law into his own hand, he can’t do that,” East Chicago Police Lt. Jose Rivera said Monday morning. "Even though the kids may have committed a crime, he doesn’t have the right to take a child in his vehicle and back to Gary."
Brewer is being held at the East Chicago jail on probable cause for criminal recklessness and kidnapping, Rivera said.
Brewer could not be immediately reached Monday morning. Rivera said attorney Scott King stopped by the station Sunday night and said he would be representing Brewer in the case. King could also not be immediately reached for comment.
Brewer filed a police report sometime Sunday night with the Gary Police Department after his vehicle was stolen from a location in Gary, Rivera said. He and his wife then allegedly tracked his vehicle to the 4200 block of Indianapolis Boulevard in East Chicago with “some type of phone app," Rivera said.
“When he found it, there were two teenagers inside the vehicle. He confronted them. We don’t know all the details yet, but he pulled out a gun and shot at them,” Rivera said. The vehicle, found with bullet holes, was impounded, Rivera said. The city’s ShotSpotter technology indicated gunfire went off in the vicinity, he added.
When Brewer allegedly fired off the shots, the teenagers sped off, Rivera said. Brewer returned to the vehicle he drove to East Chicago and allegedly chased them down, he added.
“At some point, the kids bailed, and he caught one of them. Then he put the kid in his own car, and takes the kid to Gary,” Rivera said. He was arrested after the incident by East Chicago police, Rivera said.
Rivera did not immediately know if Brewer was licensed to carry a weapon. He said the department is investigating.
Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter confirmed he was in contact Monday morning with the East Chicago Police Department about Brewer's case. He said expects to hear back from them as early as Monday about potential charges.
He said while he is waiting on more information from authorities, this appears to be a matter of Brewer allegedly "taking the law into his own hands."