Man arrested after DeKalb police shooting, officer on desk duty

DeKALB – A DeKalb police officer in an early Sunday morning shooting is now on desk duty and a DeKalb man was arrested following the shooting in the 900 block of Spiros Court.

Police say the officer fired one shot at the man, but did not hit him, after he was allegedly seen pointing a handgun at others and didn’t comply with the officer’s order to put the weapon down. DeKalb County prosecutors believe the incident, which occurred at a home on Spiros Court, involved more than one shooter.

Dante Ormond, 30, of the 500 block of Normal Road, DeKalb, was arrested Sunday and charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, a Class 2 felony; unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 3 felony; aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony; and resisting a peace officer, a Class A misdemeanor, according to DeKalb County court documents.

If convicted of the most serious aggravated discharge of a firearm felony charge, Ormond could face up to 15 years in prison and fines up to $25,000.

DeKalb Police Chief David Byrd said the officer involved is not on administrative leave, as statements from the police department previously stated. He confirmed the officer has been assigned to administrative duties until the investigation is complete.

Byrd said Monday the “investigation is ongoing.” He said the department has not released the name of the involved officer at this time.

“We normally don’t release that until the investigation is completed,” Byrd said.

The incident involved a home in the 900 block of Spiros Court, and DeKalb County prosecutors believe there were two groups involved, with nearly two dozen shell casings found in the area. DeKalb County prosecutor David Berault said prosecutors believe Ormond was not the only alleged shooter involved in the incident.

According to a Monday news release from the DeKalb Police Department, officers responded to a call at 1:11 a.m. Sunday “for a report [of] a person with a gun in the 900 block of Spiros Court.” Police called for back-up after hearing gunfire upon arrival, according to the release.

“The first officer on scene saw an individual with a handgun pointed at other subjects,” the release states. “That officer ordered the offender to stop. The offender did not comply, and the officer fired one shot from their pistol.”

Police wrote the offender, who they identified as Ormond, “was not struck from the shot and immediately ran from the area.” The officer chased Ormond on foot and arrested him shortly thereafter, the release states.

Police said they found a handgun which they believe to be Ormond’s a few feet away from where he was arrested. According to court documents, Ormond previously was convicted of armed robbery in Cook County.

“The investigation into the officer involved shooting is being conducted by the Illinois State Police,” police wrote.

Ormand appeared in DeKalb County court Monday for a virtual bond hearing from the DeKalb County Jail.

The DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s office requested bond be set for Ormond at $50,000, and he would need to post $5,000 to get out of jail, said Assistant State’s Attorney David Berault.

Berault said he believes there were two groups of people at the house on Spiros Court and involved in the incident, and that prosecutors believe one group left the house and went to “a parking lot across the way.” The other group “came out of the house, experienced gunfire,” said Berault.

“The defendant in court here today attempted to and has actually admitted to firing a firearm in that incident,” Berault said.

Police arrived, Berault said, and “they observed him with a firearm and had to run him down and catch him.”

Berault said there were “more than 20 shell casings” found near where Ormond was arrested, though Ormond allegedly fired only three of those shots. He confirmed prosecutors believe there was more than one shooter.

Berault said prosecutors don’t know whether anyone was struck by the gunshots.

“I believe that a person was possibly struck, put in a vehicle and driven away,” Berault said.

DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Philip Montgomery appointed a public defender for Ormond and set his bond at $50,000 and ordered him to be placed on electronic home monitoring if he posts bail. When Montgomery asked whether Ormond can post the $5,000 needed for his release, Ormond said he was “100% sure” he could.

Northern Illinois University Police Department, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, Sycamore Police Department and the Illinois State Police assisted in the investigation, according to DeKalb police.

Ormond is due back in court 8:45 a.m. Oct. 5 for a status hearing on the charges.

Editor’s Note: The headline in this story has been updated as of 10:40 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021 to use the phrase “police shooting” instead of “officer-involved shooting.”