A U.S. Army Green Beret was arrested and charged with the murders of three patrons and the attempted murders of three more patrons at a bowling alley in Rockford, Ill. on Saturday.
In a statement Sunday, the Army identified the shooting suspect as Sgt. 1st Class Duke Webb, a Special Forces Assistant Operations and Intelligence Sergeant assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), at Camp Bull Simons, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Duke, 37, is accused of fatally shooting three people and wounding three more at the Don Carter Lanes bowling alley, while on leave.
Rockford Police Chief Dan O’Shea said Webb was arrested shortly after the shooting and is listed as an inmate at the Winnebago County jail. He was charged with three counts of murder and three counts of first-degree attempted murder.
WEAR-TV reported the three fatal shooting victims were all men, aged 65, 69 and 73. Local authorities have not released the names of the fatal shooting victims.
Another man, 62, was hospitalized in critical condition and underwent surgery after suffering multiple gunshot wounds. A 14-year-old boy was also shot in the face and airlifted to a hospital in Madison, Wisconsin in stable condition, while a 16-year-old girl was shot in the shoulder and was treated at a hospital and released.
Up to 25 people may have been at the bowling alley at the time of the shooting.
“A heinous act of violence by an evil coward took innocent life tonight,” Don Carter Lanes said in a Saturday Facebook post. “The entire bowling community mourns the senseless loss of life and prays for the families. God please be with their friends and families. Thank you to law enforcement for your heroic actions that prevented further loss of life. A candlelight vigil will take place on Tuesday Dec. 29th at 6:30 pm Please park in the East or West lots and gather in the North lot.”
Webb’s motive for the shooting is not yet known.
“We are shocked and saddened to learn about this tragic event and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and wounded,” said 7th Special Forces Group commander Col. John W. Sannes.
The Army is assisting the Rockford Police Department in its ongoing investigation of the shooting.
