Chicago man charged after hours-long standoff shuts down Dirksen Federal Building

Yahoo

15 hours ago

The Brief
Mario Santoyo, 38, was charged after a knife threat led to a daylong lockdown at Chicago's federal courthouse.
He allegedly refused to leave the building and held a knife to his throat, prompting an evacuation.
Santoyo remains in custody ahead of a July 31 detention hearing.
CHICAGO - A 38-year-old man is facing a felony charge after allegedly threatening to harm himself with a knife during a lengthy standoff that shut down Chicago's federal courthouse Tuesday, federal authorities said.
What we know
Mario Santoyo, of Chicago, is charged with possessing a dangerous weapon in a federal facility with intent to use it in the commission of a crime, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison.
Santoyo made his initial court appearance Friday afternoon and was ordered to remain in federal custody, prosecutors said.
The backstory
According to prosecutors, Santoyo entered the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse shortly before 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and asked to speak with the FBI, claiming that "gangsters" or "gangbangers" were trying to kill him.
When a court security officer informed him that the FBI did not have an office in the building and that he could not remain there without other business, Santoyo allegedly pulled out a knife, held it to his throat and threatened to harm himself.
Despite repeated commands from law enforcement to drop the weapon, Santoyo refused. He remained in the building's lobby throughout the day with the knife pressed to his throat and a dark bag in his possession, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Authorities evacuated the courthouse during the standoff, which disrupted criminal and civil trials, hearings and other proceedings throughout the day. No injuries were reported.
Santoyo was taken into custody without incident at approximately 7:55 p.m. and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
What they're saying
"As I have said before, under my leadership, there will be zero tolerance for violence against federal officials or violence against the important work of the federal government as it is conducted in the Northern District of Illinois," said U.S. Attorney Boutros. "The defendant's actions impeded the due administration of justice in the largest federal courthouse in the country both by square footage as well as the number of federal judges, as it houses the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and the offices of various governmental agencies…"
"The defendant created a dangerous situation for himself, law enforcement, and the thousands of federal employees and members of the public inside the Dirksen Building," said Marshal Reynolds. "The standoff in this case was peacefully resolved thanks to the courage and professionalism of the law enforcement officers from the U.S. Marshals Service and FBI. I am deeply appreciative of this U.S. Attorney's strong partnership with the U.S. Marshals Service and for his strong leadership in choosing to bring a felony charge to hold the defendant accountable for his intolerable actions."
What's next
A detention hearing for Santoyo is set for 11:30 a.m., July 31.
RELATED: Man barricaded in Dirksen Federal Building taken by ambulance after 9-hour standoff
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