ROCKFORD — A seven-hour standoff today between Rockford police and a 47-year-old man who barricaded himself inside his girlfriend’s house ended with one casualty: a pit bull.
Rickie C. Brown had the dog with him in the home in the 1700 block of Cumberland Street. He released the animal at officers before exiting a side door. Police fired two shots at the dog and killed it.
Police apprehended Brown, who wearing blue jeans and black tennis shoes but shirtless, around 6:45 p.m.
With his hands cuffed behind him, Brown repeatedly shouted at police: “You killed my dog,” as police escorted him through the alley. His daughter, Kizia Brown, quickly ran up to him and hugged him before SWAT officers placed him in an unmarked police car headed to the hospital, where he received a medical evaluation.
Police were called to the scene at 11:30 a.m. on a report from a family member of Brown’s girlfriend. She was concerned that Brown, whom the girlfriend kicked out of the home Saturday night, was in the house and possibly armed with a shotgun. Police said she left the house of her own free will.
Kizia Brown said her father worked with his girlfriend, who operates a cleaning business from her home. Rickie Brown had lived at his girlfriend’s home for months. Kizia Brown described her father as being not mentally stable and under the influence of drugs and alcohol during the ordeal Sunday. Police confirmed Brown was intoxicated, but would not comment on whether drugs were a factor.
“He’s really not a bad person,” Kizia Brown said. “He works every day at the cleaning business, all day long. He’s a little crazy in the head (right now) and sometimes has problems, but he’s not a bad person.”
“He’s a very good person, always willing to help people,” said Barb Lucas, a friend of Brown. “He just got himself in a bad situation.”
Police urged residents in the 1700 block of Cumberland to evacuate their homes or remain away from windows shortly after arriving and securing the scene. Perhaps two dozen people stood or sat behind yellow police tape on nearby street corners in 90-degree weather for hours while police surrounded the brown and tan brick bungalow where Brown was holed up.
“Everyone has kept a close eye on that home,” said Cassandra Anderson who lives on Cumberland. “You just want to keep your neighborhood safe and so for that reason we continue to do that. ... This is something that’s on movies, never in our neighborhood have we seen anything like this.”
Deputy Chief Mike Booker said “substantial resources” were committed to the safe recovery of Brown.
“It was extensive,” he said. “Obviously our mission was to end this incident peacefully and whatever it takes as far as manpower to make sure the residents are safe, that our officers are safe and the subject inside the home is safe, that’s what we’re going to use.”
Brown will be charged with failure to appear in court for a resisting arrest charge that is “several years old.”
Any charges related to the standoff would follow guidance from Winnebago County State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato’s office.
“He’ll be reviewing all the facts of this case and making a determination of charges.”
Reach staff writer Betsy López Fritscher at bfritsch@rrstar.com or 815-544-3452.
Timeline
11:30 a.m.: Rockford officers are dispatched to the 1700 block of Cumberland Street in reference to a domestic dispute. A family member tells police there is a woman inside the house with a man who had been drinking, had a shotgun and was acting “disorderly.” The woman left, but when officers get there, Rickie Brown refuses to exit. Police talk to him via cell phone.
12:30 p.m.: Police continue to negotiate with Brown.
4:50 p.m.: Police set up a Mobile Command Unit on Cumberland Street between Harlem Boulevard and Auburn Street, south of the barricaded home. Cumberland is closed to traffic between Harlem and Ellis Avenue.
5:15 p.m.: Police don their helmets, draw their guns and walk toward the house where Brown has barricaded himself.
6:30 p.m.: A ComEd worker, escorted by two SWAT officers, shuts off electricity to the home. Additional police officers guarded the alley between Cumberland and Oxford Street to secure the rear of the residence.
6:48 p.m.: Brown lets a pit bull out of the house. Police fire two shots at the dog, then inform family members huddled at the southwest corner of Cumberland and Auburn that the dog has likely been killed.
6:50 p.m. to 6:54 p.m.: Brown emerges from a side door in the rear of the home and is arrested by police.
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