Chilling 911 call reveals couple's ordeal during Arlington Heights armed home invasion, standoff

For the first time, the chilling 911 call from an Arlington Heights couple who were trapped inside their home after an armed intruder broke in has been made public.

Police said just after 7:30 a.m. on Feb. 19, they were called for a burglary in progress that turned out to be an armed home invasion.

The couple in the home on the 800 block of North Chestnut Avenue was able to hide from the man inside a room, before their house was surrounded by police and SWAT and they were eventually rescued and taken to safety.

"Can you send someone right away please?" one of the homeowners begs dispatchers within the first 30 seconds of the 911 call. "He got in through the garage door. He's in my bedroom, taking stuff out of my bedroom right now."

The woman told police the suspect walked in right behind her through the garage door.

"I thought it was my husband, and it's not," she says on the 911 call.

Once she found her husband in the home, they both hid in a bedroom.

"We're hiding below the bed," she tells the dispatcher.

When the dispatcher asks if the suspect knows they're in there she replies, "I don't know. He had a hoodie on. Please send somebody."

A few minutes later she tells him he's trying to break their door down.

About four and a half minutes into the call, you can hear police arrive at the scene and a gunshot.

"Okay, they're in our house now," the homeowner says. "Yeah, the cops just shot something."

Police confirmed it was actually the suspect who had opened fire, shooting at officers as they entered the home. After coming up with a tactical strategy, they returned with seven officers to try to take the suspect down and get the couple out.

For almost 10 more minutes the couple stays in place as a massive police response formed outside their home. On the call, you can hear the moment officers find them.

"They're getting us out," the homeowner says. "Thank you guys."

More than seven hours later, 50-year-old Alex Pacino finally surrendered and was taken into custody. He is charged with one count of home invasion and one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm.

The Arlington Heights police chief said seen people, including five officers, a sergeant and a police commander, will be awarded a medal of valor for their heroism in getting this couple out safely at the village hall meeting on March 16.