An Army sergeant was charged in a shooting at Illinois’ bowling alley this weekend, which left three dead and three injured, officials said on Sunday.
Authorities accused Duke Webb, an active 37-year-old Army sergeant in Shalimar, Florida, of three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. He is held without bail on Winnebago County Jail, with his first hearing scheduled for Monday at 1:30 pm, according to prison records.
Rockford, Illinois, Police Chief Dan O’Shea identified Webb during a press conference, saying the authorities do not believe there is a connection between the suspect and any of the victims of Saturday’s shooting.
“We believe this was a completely random act and there is no prior meeting or relationship of any kind between the suspect and any of the victims in this case,” said O’Shea.
Webb is an assistant special operations and intelligence sergeant assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), located at Camp Bull Simons, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, according to a Army statement. He joined the Army in 2008 and was on leave when the shooting happened.
“We are shocked and saddened to learn about this tragic event and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the dead and wounded,” said Col. John W. Sannes, commander of the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), in a statement.
The shooting occurred at Don Carter Lanes, a bowling alley and bar, and left three men aged 73, 65 and 69 years dead. The suspect also injured a 62-year-old man in critical condition, a 14-year-old boy who was taken by helicopter to a Madison hospital, and a 16-year-old girl who was treated and discharged from a local hospital. .
O’Shea said the officers arrived a minute after receiving several calls to 911. The suspect was taken into custody a few minutes after the police arrived without any officers firing guns.
The Rockford Register Star previously reported that this year was the deadliest year for the city since 1965, with 35 homicides. The second largest was 31 homicides documented in 1996.