After a disagreement on a CTA bus in South Chicago, authorities reportedly discovered a loaded revolver and an inert grenade in the possession of a 28-year-old Venezuelan immigrant, who was taken into custody Thursday evening.
According to a CPD arrest report, Jose Yepes was taken into custody at approximately 7:35 p.m. in the 7900 block of South Jeffrey Boulevard after a bus driver alerted Chicago police to a battery that was taking on.
Officers noticed Yepes getting off the bus as they got on. According to the authorities, he got wide-eyed and tried to exit the bus quickly as he did so. After noticing a bulge in his waistline, the officers took him into custody.
According to the police, they found a green grenade in Yepes’ crossbody bag and a loaded.380-caliber revolver in his belt. The grenade was deemed inert by the CPD Bomb Squad.
Additionally, officers discovered Yepes had an outstanding warrant for neglecting to show up for court in connection with a misdemeanor shoplifting case. Since March 2024, the warrant has been in effect.
Judge James Costello ordered Yepes to be held on Friday on allegations of unlawfully possessing a weapon and a bomb or grenade.
Prosecutors charged Yepes with unauthorized use of a bomb or grenade despite the fact that the grenade discovered in his backpack was inactive, meaning it lacked the potential to explode.
Even if a device doesn’t detonate, it can still be charged with a crime in Illinois if it is found to be in possession of something that looks or acts like an explosive. Such charges, according to legal experts, are frequently used to discourage people from carrying realistic-looking devices in public, particularly in busy areas like transport systems.
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