COUNTRY CLUB HILLS, Ill. (WLS) — Federal prosecutors have dropped charges against three people initially accused in a robbery case tied to an undercover ATF gun-trafficking operation, including two suspects who were shot during the incident.
The video referenced above is from an earlier report.
According to court records reviewed by the ABC7 I-Team, prosecutors said they uncovered new evidence that conflicts with the original account provided by ATF and FBI agents.
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The ATF said the operation was underway around 5:30 p.m. on June 9 near 189th Street and Loretto Lane in Country Club Hills. Investigators initially said an ATF special agent and a task force officer opened fire after undercover agents were targeted in an attempted armed robbery, wounding two suspects. Officials identified the task force officer as a member of the Chicago Police Department.
Authorities said both wounded suspects were taken into custody and brought to a hospital, where they were listed in stable condition. A third person was also accused of assaulting an officer.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office asked a judge to dismiss charges filed last week against the three defendants, who had been accused of trying to buy firearms from undercover ATF agents in Country Club Hills before fleeing the scene, setting off the agent-involved shooting that injured two people.
On Thursday, Magistrate Judge Keri L. Holleb Hotaling dismissed the charges against the three men without prejudice and, underscoring the seriousness of this latest situation, scheduled a July 2 hearing to discuss whether sanctions should be imposed against the government.
Judge Hotaling ordered officials from both the FBI, and the USAO Front Office, which could include USAO Andrew Boutros himself, to be present at the July hearing.
In a motion filed with the court on Wednesday, federal prosecutors said the USAO “Front Office” obtained video from the ATF of the shooting incident, and that aspects of the shooting “appear inconsistent with the description of the shooting.” That description of events came from an FBI agent investigating the incident, and ATF agents involved with the operation, according to the original criminal complaint filed.
In addition to the new video evidence, prosecutors told the judge an ATF special agent sent an email to the prosecution team this week describing the events, and that it too was “potentially inconsistent” with what prosecutors were originally told.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois shared a statement with ABC7 Thursday evening, saying “Late last week the government filed a criminal complaint against multiple individuals arising out of an attempted armed robbery and assault on federal officers occurring on June 9, 2026. The facts are fluid and developing, and multiple investigations are ongoing and more facts will be forthcoming. Our decision to dismiss the complaint today should not be read at all as a retreat of this case or the events giving rise to charges.”
The ATF said Illinois State Police, the FBI and Chicago Police Department assisted in the initial investigation.
COPA is also investigating because a Chicago police officer was involved in the shooting.
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