Homewood Man Shares Account of Police Raid

Commotion on the 1500 block of Terrace Ave earlier today has community members wondering why the block was teeming with an elaborate display of law enforcement officers and vehicles.

Eric Stevens and cousin Henry Dondle, both longtime Homewood residents, woke this morning along with many of their neighbors to the sound of explosions and shattering glass.

It wasn’t long before scores of officers clad in military fatigues and brandishing assault rifles ordered Stevens and Dondle to the ground where they were restrained, according to Stevens.

Now, more than 10 hours later, bits of shattered glass lay strewn about the living room and outside perimeter of the residence that Stevens shares with his 74-year-old father. The front door is splintered and at least 17 windows were broken. Heat from the flash grenades left char marks on the walls and burned through a hanging curtain. Stevens's father, a retired Chicago police officer, was returning home from security duty when the event unfolded.

“It looks like a terrorist attack on my house,” Stevens said.

Dondle said police confiscated 20 grams of marijuana and several water pipes. He claims they had a gathering the night before and that the marijuana was for recreational use.

Stevens said police presented him with a search warrant immediately upon restraining him. The warrant listed the following as grounds for the police action:

Cannabis and any and all instruments, articles and things used in the manufacture, distribution and possession of cannabis to wit: cannabis also articles that establish proof of residency, monies and records pertaining to drug sales.

The men were taken to the . Stevens was charged with misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia and Dondle was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana, according to Dondle.

Both men said this is the third time their house has been raided via forced entry, but neither of the prior two raids lead to criminal conviction. Stevens said the police have historically attributed the raids to complaints from the neighbors. While he admits a poor relationship with one neighbor in particular, he says many more have been coming by with an open mind in attempt to understand what happened.

“Another false alarm,” Dondle said. 

Police have yet to comment on the raid, but a press release is in the works, according to a secretary at the station.