Apr 14, 2001 - 08:05 PM

Two Killed, 21 Injured as Gunman Opens Fire in Bar By Geoffrey White Associated Press Writer

ELGIN, Ill. (AP) - A gunman opened fire in a crowded bar early Saturday, killing two people, and then was subdued by other customers. At least 21 people were injured. The gunman returned to JB's Pub armed with a shotgun, another long-barreled gun and at least two handguns after employees ordered him to leave, said police Lt. Mike Turner.

Turner said there were about 200 people in the bar at the time of the attack. Most of the injured were shot but some suffered cuts while fleeing the gunfire.

Turner would not identify the suspect, a 42-year-old Elgin resident who police said had served 13 years in prison on a 1978 armed robbery conviction. Police said the gunman was detained by patrons of the bar and was later arrested.

"It could have been much, much, much worse," Elgin Police Chief William Miller said.

The gunman, who was wearing a military-style camouflage jacket, was found with more than 200 rounds of ammunition when he was arrested, police said. They would not say how many shots were fired before the gunman was tackled by other patrons.

Bar patron Michael York told WLS-TV that when he saw the gunman he told one of the bartenders to "get down," only to watch the gunman shoot him.

"And then there was a girl and he shot the girl and she was just trying to get out," he said. "And I just laid against the bar, put the garbage can over my head and prayed he didn't shoot me."

Police were not sure why the man was asked to leave the bar. Patron Steve Tishler said the man was escorted out.

"This guy was actually overintoxicated and they escorted him out," Tishler told CLTV. "He came back dressed to kill and that's basically what he did."

Five people remained hospitalized Saturday, with at least one in critical condition, officials said.

Charges were expected to be filed Saturday, police said.

Bartender Jeff Weides, 38, and Richard Bartlett, 48, both of Elgin, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Elgin is a suburb 35 miles west of Chicago.

AP-ES-04-14-01 2005EDT © Copyright 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

-- Anonymous, April 14, 2001

Answers

"Turner would not identify the suspect, a 42-year-old Elgin resident who police said had served 13 years in prison on a 1978 armed robbery conviction."

Convicted felon? Not allowed to own a gun? Yeah, what we need are more gun laws.

-- Anonymous, April 14, 2001

It seems that I'm reading more of this type of thing, plus more murder suicides.

-- Anonymous, April 14, 2001

the price someone else has to pay for freedom.

you're right - it has nothing to do with laws. it has to do with the culture of guns - easy accessibility, the glory, the fear of the victim as the nut is about to pull the trigger; in other words, a power trip for the shooter.

alas, the deed has been done. the question now becomes what does society do to make an example of this young armed robber, probably a model prisoner at one time? 1 - stop releasing armed robbers. how could anyone have assessed that he had become no longer a threat to society? it's dumb. 2 - execute the convict. he has failed to demonstrate that he can live among us. or am i being unreasonable? should we rehabilitate him?

-- Anonymous, April 15, 2001

should we rehabilitate him?

Yeah, rehabilitate him into fertilizer.

-- Anonymous, April 15, 2001