4 arrested, weapons seized in violence between bikers outside downtown Ottawa bar

Violence between out-of-town motorcycle clubs ensued around dinner time Sunday just outside of JJ's Pub in downtown Ottawa.

According to an Ottawa Police press release, their officers, along with other police agencies, dispersed a crowd of roughly 50 to 75 members of "rival motorcycle clubs" at the 100 block of West Main Street.
 
Two handguns, multiple knives and other weapons were seized at the scene. Further evidence collected by Ottawa Police detectives will be submitted to Illinois State Police crime lab for analysis.
 
Four people were arrested. 
Eric P. Cronin, 38, of Chicago, was arrested on complaints of mob action and aggravated assault upon a peace officer, which is a class 4 felony, for assaulting an officer with a knife, according to police.
 
Robert J. Thoman, 53, of Oak Forest, was arrested on complaints of mob action, unlawful use of a weapon, a class A misdemeanor, for having possession of brass knuckles and a glass bottle as a weapon, according to police. He also was arrested on a complaint of unlawful use of a weapon, a class 4 felony, for having a concealed firearm inside a liquor establishment, according to police.
 
Craig Varner, 45, of Chicago, was arrested on a complaint of a municipal code violation of expired registration, and Christopher T. Tondini, 39, Morris, was arrested on a complaint of unlawful altering of vehicle registration, a class 2 felony.
 
Tondini, Cronin and Thoman were taken to La Salle County Jail to await a bond hearing. The La Salle County State's Attorney's Office approved felony charges, according to Ottawa Police.
 
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected, according to Ottawa Police.
 
The fight took place in the pub's outdoor eating area at about 7:30 p.m. between members of motorcycle clubs, according to Jeremy Johnson, owner of JJ's. 
 
"These people were not locals," Johnson said.
 
Motorcyclists have come to the bar, which doubles as a restaurant, to eat and have done so peacefully in previous visits, Johnson said. This time, it appeared, after "a man in a suit" showed up, the violence escalated between the groups.
 
"There were broken bottles, chairs and tables thrown," Johnson said.
 
The violence stayed outside of the bar as patrons from the inside watched.
He credited Ottawa Police with a quick response and calming down the fight immediately. Officers from Marseilles Police, La Salle County Sheriff's Office and Illinois State Police assisted at the scene.
 
Two officers stood outside of JJ's Sunday evening as business went back to normal.
 
"The men and women in blue were terrific," Johnson said. 
 
There was a police presence at the bar for a portion of the afternoon, leading up to the fight. By early evening, the patio was crowded with people, and motorcycles lined the streets and parking spots around JJ's. 
 
By early evening, prior to and following the fight, many people were sharing photos and video of the scene surrounding JJ's on social media.

Canada - BN.

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