Police: ‘No gun involved’ in Dec. 3 abortion clinic argument

By Jim Hagerty
Staff Writer

No gun was involved in an argument between anti-abortion supporters and a man accompanying a female into the Northern Illinois Women’s Center last week, police said Wednesday, Dec. 8.

Friday, Dec. 3, witnesses told police a man threatened to shoot a group of anti-abortion protesters during an argument outside the clinic, which offers abortions. The man allegedly placed his hand into his pocket and pretended he had a gun.

One witness reported that the man shouted, “What if I pulled out my .45 and put a bullet in your head?”

Sgt. Andre Brass of the Rockford Police Department confirmed that an argument did take place and police were called. Brass said parties on both sides of the argument were shouting during the exchange, which did become heated.

“We spoke with the man who entered the clinic and he was upset at what the pro-life protesters were saying to him, so he engaged in the argument,” Sgt. Brass said. “We checked it out, and there was no gun involved.”

Witnesses said the argument started when a group of anti-abortion counselors parked a mobile ultrasound facility near the clinic. Several abortion supporters arrived and started shouting at mothers, urging them not to talk to anti-abortion counselors.

No arrests were made.