Soldier who shot up pensioners and teenagers in Illinois might have PTSD

The all too predictable PTSD excuse is being thrown around by the guy’s defense attorney already. Jeff LPH 3 sends this Army Times piece;

An attorney for a U.S. Army Special Forces sergeant arrested in what authorities called an apparently random shooting at an Illinois bowling alley that left three people dead told an initial hearing Monday that her client may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Duke Webb, 37, faces three counts of murder and three counts of first-degree attempted murder for injuring three others in the shooting at Don Carter Lanes, in Rockford, on Saturday evening.

According to Army service information, Webb had four deployments to Afghanistan, the most recent once ending in July.

His lawyer, Elizabeth Bucko, also told the hearing in a Winnebago County courtroom that Webb appeared to have issues with memory loss. She added that he will undergo mental health evaluations, the Rockford Register Star reported.

The judge denied bond for Webb, meaning he will remain jailed. His arraignment was set for Feb. 16.

At least bail “reform” didn’t let him out on bond. Some more details of the incident have also come to light.

A criminal complaint released Monday says Webb admitted to the shootings shortly after officers arrived on the scene, even showing officers where he’d placed two guns he had brought with him — a Glock .40 caliber and a Glock .380 caliber.

Hanley added Monday that the firearms did not appear to be military-issued.

The complaint describes horrific scenes as the gunman opened fire just before 7 p.m. Saturday, first targeting a group of teenagers on the first floor of the two-story building.

A bullet ripped through the shoulder of a 16-year-girl, and a 14-year-old boy was hit in the face. Both survived. Thomas Furseth, 65, was on the first floor and began running toward the stairs to the second-floor bar when the gunman fatally shot him in the torso, according to the complaint. He managed to get to the second floor before collapsing.

The gunman then went up the stairs himself and opened fire in a bar area filled with up to 25 people. Dennis Steinhoff, 73, was fatally shot in the torso. Jerome Woodfork, 69, also was fatally shot and a witness later described seeing Woodfork falling from a second-floor balcony. His body was found below the balcony in a parking lot.

Tyrone Lewis, 62, survived, but was listed in critical condition. He was shot while in the bar area in the thigh, back, neck, groin and buttocks.

Now for the real issue here. Why was a bowling alley open during a global freaking pandemic!!!!

The bowling alley was closed when the shooting happened, in accordance with restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, O’Shea said. But a bar upstairs was open. The chief said the upstairs venue has double doors that open to the outside, ensuring the bar is in compliance with Illinois’ COVID-19 mitigation guidance.

Oh, well that explains it. I’d really like to slap whomever asked the question necessitating this part of the statement. All the alcohol in the bar must keep COVID from spreading where the shoe spray and hand driers in the bowling alley don’t. Can’t go play a game more than six feet apart from the next lane, but I can go stand at a bar and imbibe in the devil’s spirits with a bunch of strangers with decreasing levels of inhibitions. Got it.

Category: Army, COVID-19, Crime, PTSD