Victims' Names, New Details Released In Bowling Alley Shooting
ROCKFORD, IL — Authorities in Rockford have identified the three men killed in a bowling alley shooting on Saturday night and revealed more details on what happened inside the longtime local business.
Winnebago County State's Attorney J. Hanley said Thomas Furseth, 65, of Machesney Park, Jerome Woodfork, 69, of Rockford and Dennis Steinhoff, 73, of Rockford, were killed in the shooting.
Duke Webb, who faces three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder, is a Special Forces Green Beret from Florida. He appeared Monday in Winnebago County court, where a judge denied him bond. Hanley said Webb was on leave and was visiting family in Illinois when the shooting happened.
Hanley said Webb admitted to the shooting, and the entire incident was caught on surveillance cameras.
Hanley outlined the events of Saturday evening, saying police were called to Don Carter Lanes at 6:55 p.m. for a report of an active shooter.
The business, a community staple since 1959, has two floors: a bowling alley on the first floor and a bar on the second floor. On Sunday, Mayor Tom McNamara said Don Carter Lanes was operating within coronavirus mitigation guidelines, with the bowling alley closed and the bar/restaurant upstairs open for carryout and outdoor dining with a double garage door setup.
Hanley said the first victim, a 16-year-old girl, was sitting at a table on the first floor with three other teenagers when Webb began shooting at the table. She suffered a through-and-through gunshot wound to the shoulder and was treated and released from an area hospital.
A 14-year-old boy who was also shot on the first floor suffered a gunshot wound to the face and was airlifted to Madison. He is alive but in critical condition.
A third victim, a 62-year-old man, was on the second floor when he was shot in the left thigh, back, neck, groin and buttocks. Hanley said he is also alive but in critical condition.
On Sunday, Rockford Police Chief Dan O'Shea said the teens were at the business to pick up carryout.
Of those who were killed, Hanley said Furseth was on the first floor when he was shot in the torso while running for the stairs. He was able to make it up the stairs before collapsing, authorities said.
Hanley said after shooting Furseth, Webb headed upstairs to the second floor. Steinhoff, who was on the balcony outside the bar, was also shot in the torso and killed.
Woodfork, who was shot in the neck, was found in the parking lot below the balcony. Hanley said a witness saw Woodfork fall from the balcony.
All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
O'Shea said Webb attempted to conceal his identity as the shooter and tried to hide two guns when police arrived at the bowling alley. According to Hanley, a witness was able to identify Webb to police, and Webb admitted to the shooting and directed investigators to the two guns, a Glock .380 caliber and a Glock .40 caliber.
This article originally appeared on the Rockford Patch
