The standoff forced the lockdown of MacArthur Elementary School for 30 minutes as a precaution. The school is about two blocks away from wh...
The standoff forced the lockdown of MacArthur Elementary School for 30 minutes as a precaution.
The school is about two blocks away from where the incident occurred, according to Cedar Lake Police Chief Roger Patz.
Leslie M. Falk, 40, who lives in the 6800 block of W. 128th Ave., barricaded himself in his home after police responded to a call around 11:07 a.m. about the shooting incident, Patz said.
Renate Falk, the suspect’s wife, told police her husband said she was going to die today before choking her and firing a gun at her. Patz said the victim was not shot in the incident, but did have finger marks around her neck.
Detective Sgt. Keith Wood was able to speak to the man by telephone and made several attempts to talk him into surrendering to police.
At first Falk responded by locking the doors to the house. Wood ultimately was able to talk the man into surrendering. Falk walked out of the house unarmed and surrendered to police. The whole incident lasted about 45 minutes.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Police SWAT Team was requested at the scene, but was called off after Falk surrendered.
Falk is being held at the Lake County Jail on charges of domestic battery, criminal recklessness and attempted murder. He was first checked out for chest pain at St. Anthony Medical Center in Crown Point.
The criminal recklessness charges stems from the gunshot.
“The shot was fired while there was a young child in the house,” Patz said.
Police have found the bullet hole and are still searching for the handgun.
