Man arrested after housekeeping found firearms in Chicago hotel room overlooking July 4 events

KCCI'S LAUREN JOHNSON HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE STOR Y. 32-YEAR-OLD KEEGAN CASTEEL IS FACING TWO FELONY CHARGES TONIGHT- - FOR UNLAWFUL USE OF A WEAPON AND NOT HAVING A LICENSE TO CARRY IN ILLINOIS. (áááPKGáá á) DAVID BROWN, CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT 54:29 <"AND THERE WAS ALSO A HANDGUN, ALONG WITH THE RIFLE AND FIVE RIFLE MAGAZINES ON THE WINDOW SILL OF THIS PARTICULAR OM> RO CHICAGO POLICE BELIEVE A POTENTIAL CRISIS WAS AVERTED ON JULY 4TH AS ANKENY RESIDENT KEEGAN CASTEEL NOW SITS BEHIND BA. RS THE 32-YEAR-OLWAS D STAYING AT THE W HOTEL IN CHICAGO OVER THE WEEKEND WHEN HOTEL STAFF FOUND AN ASSAULT RIFLE, HANDGUN AND LOADED MAGAZINES. DAVID BROWN, CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT 1:40 <"OBVIOUSLY VERY CONCERNING GIVEN THE POSITION OF THE W HOTEL TO NAVY PIER."> THE HOTEL IS ALSO LOCATED NEAR OHIO STREET BEACH, WHICH WAS ALSO FULL OF PEOPLE FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. STCAEEL'S MOTIVE F OR HAVING THE WEAPONS IN HIS ROOM IS UNKNOWN. HE HAS NO VIOLT EN CRIMINAL HISTORY, HE DOES OWN AN IOWA GUN PERMIT BUT NOT AN ILLINOIS ON E. HIS BAIL WAS SET AT TEN-THOUSAND DOLLARS DURING HIS HEARINGN O TUESDAY - IF HE WERE TO PO ST HIS BAIL, THE MAN WOULD BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO IOWA WHILE HE AWAITS HIS TRIAL. ALFREDO PARRISH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY, PARRISH LAW 4:19 <"AND HE HAD NO CRIMIN AL HISTORY AT ALL, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE UNUSUAL UNDER THESE CRICUMSTANCES FOR ILLINOISO TRELEASE HIM."> SOME HAVE POINTED OUT HOW THIS INCIDT ENIS VERY REMINICENT TO WHAT TOOK PLACE IN LAS VEGAS IN 2017. THASE SAILANT KILLED 61 IN A CROWD AT A MUSIC FESTIVAL BEFORE TAKING HIS OWN LIFE. EVEN AS THESE SITUATIONS SEEM TO BE SIMILAR, PARRH IS SAYS THE LEGAL PROCESS MUST RUN IT'S COURSE FIRST. ALFREDO PARRISH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY, PARRISH LAW 11:29 <"THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY, A PERSON IS PRESUM ED INNOCENT. SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL

Man arrested after housekeeping found firearms in Chicago hotel room overlooking July 4 events

Updated: 11:56 PM EDT Jul 6, 2021

An Iowa man is in custody after police found a rifle with a laser sight in a Chicago hotel room that overlooks a Lake Michigan beach and a major tourist attraction.Authorities say a member of the cleaning staff at the W Hotel told police on Sunday they observed the rifle, a handgun and ammunition in the room occupied by 32-year-old Ankeny resident Keegan Casteel.The weapons were found on a 12th floor window sill on July 4th. Casteel was arrested at the hotel and faces two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. "Our joint terrorism task force officers debrief interviewed this person along with a companion and we are continuing this investigation," Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said. "The circumstances are this, the employee alerted us we made contact with this person, made the arrest, began interviews, and also conducting gun tracing of both the rifle and the handgun for further investigation. There's no previous history of this person nor any other issues in our federal databases, but obviously very concerning given the position of the W Hotel to Navy Pier."On Tuesday, a Cook County judge ordered Casteel held in lieu of $10,000 bond.

CHICAGO —

An Iowa man is in custody after police found a rifle with a laser sight in a Chicago hotel room that overlooks a Lake Michigan beach and a major tourist attraction.

Authorities say a member of the cleaning staff at the W Hotel told police on Sunday they observed the rifle, a handgun and ammunition in the room occupied by 32-year-old Ankeny resident Keegan Casteel.

The weapons were found on a 12th floor window sill on July 4th. Casteel was arrested at the hotel and faces two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

"Our joint terrorism task force officers debrief interviewed this person along with a companion and we are continuing this investigation," Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said. "The circumstances are this, the employee alerted us we made contact with this person, made the arrest, began interviews, and also conducting gun tracing of both the rifle and the handgun for further investigation. There's no previous history of this person nor any other issues in our federal databases, but obviously very concerning given the position of the W Hotel to Navy Pier."

On Tuesday, a Cook County judge ordered Casteel held in lieu of $10,000 bond.