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Ill. police critically wound man in standoff

By Jeremy Gorner
Tribune reporter

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. — Bolingbrook police shot and critically wounded a 45-year-old man who opened fire at them with a shotgun in a two-hour standoff overnight at his home, police from the southwest suburb said Monday morning.

No officers were hurt during the incident.

About 11:25 p.m. Sunday, police on the scene of a separate incident were approached by the father of the alleged gunman, who said his son had shot at him and ordered him to get out of their home in the 300 block of Drake Avenue, said Bolingbrook police Lt. Ken Teppel.

When officers arrived at the home, they tried unsuccessfully to contact the 45-year-old man. After two hours of trying to reach him via telephone, bullhorn and squad-car public address system, police broke a window to try to talk with him, Teppel said. He said the man then opened fire on police from that window.

The gunman then confronted an officer at a second broken window, Teppel said. The officer ordered the man to drop his shotgun, but instead he raised it in the direction of the officer, Teppel said.

The officer then shot the man, who was taken by Bolingbrook Fire Department personnel to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, where he was last reported in critical condition, Teppel said.

The alleged gunman had not been charged in connection with the standoff as of Monday morning, Teppel said. He had a revoked Illinois State Police firearm owner’s identification card and three convictions on weapons charges, Teppel said.

Illinois State Police are investigating the shooting, and the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave with pay.

Copyright 2008 Chicago Tribune