Crime & Safety
Man Barricaded with 5-Year-Old Son Gives Up Without Fight: Police
The incident began when Mitchell DePirro became angry at his former girlfriend's refusal to allow him inside her house, Cmdr. Al Roechner said.
A Joliet man who pushed his way into his ex-girlfriend's home, punched out the woman's new boyfriend and fled with his 5-year-old son was arrested Friday morning after a standoff with police, Joliet Cmdr. Al Roechner said.
The incident began at about 6:50 a.m. Friday when Mitchell L. DePirro, 31, went to pick up his son at the 859 Royce St. home of his former girlfriend, with whom he shares custody of the child, Roechner said.
The boy was in the bathroom when he arrived, but DePirro's ex-girlfriend would not allow him to come inside the house to wait, he said. DePirro was angered by that and pushed his way into the residence, he said.
When inside, he kicked in a bedroom door, causing it to slam into the face of the woman's new boyfriend, whom he then attacked and punched unconscious, Roechner said. He then fled with the child.
The former girlfriend gave police DePirro's address at 819 Audrey Ave. in the Reedwood neighborhood, where officers found DePirro's car with a still-warm engine, Roechner said. When DePirro refused to answer the door or his phone, however, police were forced to call in the department's SWAT team for the protection of the child, he said.
Once the team arrived, DePirro finally answered his phone and opted to give himself up without a fight, Roechner said.
DePirro was arrested and charged with home invasion, aggravated battery, burglary, criminal trespass to a residence and child endangerment. He is being held in the Will County jail.
The boy was in the bathroom when he arrived, but DePirro's ex-girlfriend would not allow him to come inside the house to wait, he said. DePirro was angered by that and pushed his way into the residence, he said.
When inside, he kicked in a bedroom door, causing it to slam into the face of the woman's new boyfriend, whom he then attacked and punched unconscious, Roechner said. He then fled with the child.
The former girlfriend gave police DePirro's address at 819 Audrey Ave. in the Reedwood neighborhood, where officers found DePirro's car with a still-warm engine, Roechner said. When DePirro refused to answer the door or his phone, however, police were forced to call in the department's SWAT team for the protection of the child, he said.
Once the team arrived, DePirro finally answered his phone and opted to give himself up without a fight, Roechner said.
DePirro was arrested and charged with home invasion, aggravated battery, burglary, criminal trespass to a residence and child endangerment. He is being held in the Will County jail.
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