Man Charged In Illinois Bowling Alley Shooting

A U.S. Army special forces sergeant based in Florida has been charged in a random shooting at an Illinois bowling alley that left three people dead and three wounded, authorities said Sunday.

According to authorities, Duke Webb, 37, has been charged with three counts of murder and three counts of first-degree attempted murder in the shooting at Don Carter Lanes, in Rockford, on Saturday evening. 

Up to 25 people were at Don Carter Lanes when the shooting happened, but most of them escaped or hid, O’Shea said. 

While no bowling is currently allowed due to state-imposed coronavirus restrictions, a bar linked to the business was legally open.

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Webb was taken into custody shortly after the shooting at around 7 p.m., Rockford Police Chief Dan O’Shea said at a news conference Sunday morning.

“I am very confident the officers that were on the scene in the building were able to stop further violence,” O’Shea said.

He said the three who died were all men, aged 73, 65 and 69, but did not provide names.

Additionally, he said, a 14-year-old boy was shot in the face and airlifted to a hospital in Madison in stable condition, and a 16-year-old girl who was shot in the shoulder was treated at a hospital and released. A 62-year-old man underwent surgery overnight after suffering multiple gunshot wounds and is in critical condition, the chief said.

The suspect has no known ties to the victims, O’Shea said. Authorities believe this was a random attack.

“Most of the incident was captured on surveillance video from inside the business,” O’Shea said, adding that investigators are studying captured images.

O’Shea said investigators are in touch with the Army. He didn’t explain why the Florida man was in Illinois. The Army said it will provide full assistance in the police investigation.