Retired police officer, Joseph Battaglia, was arrested after allegedly threatening to harm those who are involved in the death investigation of Fox Lake Police Lt. Joseph Gliniewicz, unless they declared his death as suicide.
Police say coroner has jeopardized the investigation into Fox Lake officer’s death. http://t.co/HzGFvgFur1 pic.twitter.com/p1wQmYHmvB
— Colonel Tribune (@ColonelTribune) September 12, 2015
Battaglia blocked his number and called Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd’s office Friday threatening to harm him, as well as Lake County Major Crime Task Force Cmdr. George Filenko, and all other officers in the Fox Lake Shooting investigation. Officials confirmed that Battaglia was a former Chicago police officer but was not involved in the Fox Lake Shooting investigation. Battaglia also called police agencies and some media outfits. After his call, an investigation took place and he was arrested over the weekend at his home in Oak Lawn, Illinois, on two counts of disorderly conduct, Class 4 felonies.
“We will not tolerate any behavior which disrupts our investigative efforts,” Lake County Undersheriff Raymond Rose said. “Any intentional criminal acts to distract or impair our investigation will be actively investigated and turned over to the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office for prosecution.”
BREAKING NEWS: Former Cop Arrested In Fox Lake Officer Shooting Investigation – http://t.co/qcHXIJD0Fa pic.twitter.com/FKS9tzLq0j — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) September 13, 2015
As of now, Battaglia doesn’t have any lawyer, he was denied one because of his police pension and is now being held at the Lake County Jail on a $100,000 bond. The Fox Lake shooting happened on September 1 when Gliniewicz was shot dead shortly after he radioed that he was chasing three men, around 8:00 am in the 100 block of Honing Road in Fox Lake.
Police say coroner has jeopardized the investigation into Fox Lake officer’s death http://t.co/owuXRzMDqF pic.twitter.com/bDlvogC5Yg
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) September 11, 2015
After Battaglia’s arrest, Rudd was publicly chastised for sharing information on the Fox Lake shooting. Rudd said Gliniewicz died from a single, devastating gunshot wound, but has not provided details on where he was shot or whether he was shot more than once. Rudd also has said he favors a homicide determination, but doesn’t have sufficient evidence to make an official ruling.
However, Rudd did not comment about Joseph Battaglia’s case.