(PEORIA, IL) On Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at approximately 10:54 a.m., Peoria Police were dispatched to the 100 block of Braves in response to a report of a male subject possibly armed with a handgun.
Upon arrival, officers observed an adult male fleeing the area on foot. Officers initiated a brief foot pursuit, during which the subject was observed discarding a handgun beneath a tree. The subject was apprehended without further incident and identified as 21-year-old Leonard E. Heady.
The firearm was recovered and determined to be loaded and reported stolen.
Heady was arrested for Possession of a Stolen Firearm, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Resisting/Obstructing a Peace Officer, and Possession of a Firearm Without a Valid FOID Card. He was subsequently transported to the Peoria County Jail.
Anyone with information regarding any violent crime is encouraged to contact the Peoria Police Department at (309) 673-4521, submit an anonymous tip through tip411, or contact Crime Stoppers at (309) 673-9000.
**All suspects and arrestees are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. **