A Florida man charged with a shooting that left three people dead and three others injured at a Rockford bowling alley over the weekend is scheduled to appear in court Monday on charges including murder.
Duke Webb, 37, was taken into custody at the scene of the shooting Saturday night at the Don Carter Lanes in the 4000 block of East State Street, according to police.
Rockford police said Webb opened fire near the business just after 7 p.m. and then proceeded inside, firing more rounds at patrons inside the building.
Authorities said three men, ranging in age from 65 to 73 years old, were killed in the shooting. Further details, including their identities, were not immediately available.
Two teenagers were among the three wounded, according to police, who said they had entered the business to pick up carryout food orders. A 14-year-old boy was shot in the face and airlifted to a Wisconsin hospital where his condition stabilized, while a 16-year-old girl was shot in the shoulder and taken to an area hospital where she was treated and released, authorities said.
The third person wounded was a 62-year-old man, officials said, who remains in critical condition after being shot multiple times.
Officers arrived on scene within one minute of the first 911 calls, according to Rockford police. Authorities say that upon their arrival, the suspect attempted to disguise himself and to hide his weapons in the building. Police were able to determine his identity and take him into custody without firing their weapons.
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Investigators canvassing the scene were able to locate two weapons used in the shooting, which authorities said was largely captured on surveillance footage.
“I am very confident the officers that were on the scene in the building were able to stop further violence,” Rockford Police Chief Dan O’Shea said.
There were approximately 20 to 25 people inside of the establishment at the time of the shooting. According to officials, the bowling alley and downstairs bar at the business were closed, per Tier 3 coronavirus mitigations in the state of Illinois, but the upstairs bar area, which featured multiple large doors that could be opened to allow air to circulate through the building, was open and in compliance with mitigation rules.
Webb is a Special Forces Assistant Operations and Intelligence Sergeant assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), located at Camp Bull Simons, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, according to the U.S. Army.
Webb has been in the Army since 2008, and was on leave at the time of Saturday's shooting.
The Army released a statement on the shooting that reads in part, “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.”
It is unclear why Webb was in Rockford, and police say there was no immediately clear connection between the alleged gunmen and the victims in the shooting.
"We believe this is a totally random act and no prior meeting with the suspects and those victims," O'Shea said.
Webb is facing three charges of first-degree murder and three attempted murder charges in the case, according to the Winnebago County state’s attorney. He was ordered held without bond and was expected to appear before a judge Monday afternoon.
