Attorney J. Hanley of Winnebago County, Illinois, identified the victims as Thomas Furseth, 65, Jerome Woodfork, 69, and Dennis Steinhoff, 73. Three other people – including two minors – were injured in Saturday’s shooting.
The shooter was identified as Duke Webb, 37, who was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. He was denied bail on Monday.
Webb admitted the shooting on Saturday and took police officers to the locations of the firearm he used in the incident, Hanley said.
Police believe the shooting was a random attack, said Rockford Police Chief Daniel O’Shea.
Webb, who is in the Army, will be assessed for PTSD, according to his lawyer Elizabeth Bucko.
Victims were shot on the first and second floors
Rockford police received a call from an active sniper on Saturday at around 6:59 pm in Don Carter Lanes, according to the indictment. The company contains a bowling alley on the first floor and a bar on the second floor, according to a press release from Hanley’s office.
Upon arriving, the police learned that several people were shot. A 16-year-old girl was shot in the shoulder while sitting at a table with three other teenagers. A 14-year-old boy was shot in the face and is in critical condition, court documents say.
Furseth was on the first floor when the shooting started, he started running towards the stairs when he was shot in the torso. He reached the second floor before passing out. He was pronounced dead when the police arrived, the statement said.
Webb then went up the stairs, where there were between 20 and 25 people at the bar, according to the statement. He “fired several shots” at the bar’s customers, including Steinhoff and Woodfork, according to the statement.
Steinhoff was shot in the torso and his body was found on the porch outside the bar.
Woodfork’s body was found in the parking lot below the porch. A witness told police that they saw him fall from the balcony. Woodfork was dead when the police arrived, the statement said.
There was also a 62-year-old man at the bar who was shot in the left thigh, back, groin and buttocks. He was not identified and is alive but in critical condition, the statement said.
The shooting was captured by video surveillance. Webb directed police officers to the firearms he used, according to the statement, which were behind his bag. The officers recovered a .40 Glock and a .380 Glock.
Multiple .40 and .380 caliber cartridges were found at the scene, the statement said.
Webb was a Green Beret in the Army
The United States Army has confirmed that Webb is a first-class sergeant currently assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, as an operations assistant and intelligence sergeant. The unit is located at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
Webb joined the Army in 2008 and was on leave when the shooting occurred, according to the Army. Webb made four different trips to Afghanistan, from 2009 to 2020, including from January to July this year.
The Army said in its statement that it will continue to assist the Rockford Police Department in its investigation.
“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.
Webb’s commander, Major General John W. Brennan, also issued a statement.
“The alleged actions of Sgt. 1st Class Duke Webb are abominable and absolutely unrepresentative of the Special Forces Regiment. The vast majority of men and women in Green Berets live up to their reputation and earn their berets every day,” he said. Brennan. “The actions described in the reports are shocking and completely different from Webb’s 12 years of honorable service. The Rockford Police Department has our full cooperation. Our sorry hearts and prayers are with the affected families.”
CNN’s Michael Callaghan, Dave Alsup, Hollie Silverman and Alaa Elassar contributed to this report.