Don Carter Lanes shooting

On December 26, 2020, a mass shooting occurred at Don Carter Lanes, a bowling alley in Rockford, Illinois, United States. The perpetrator was an active-duty Special Forces soldier, 37-year-old Duke Webb, who shot and killed three people and injured three others, including two teenagers. He pleaded not guilty in his second court appearance and is currently awaiting his third.

## Don Carter Lanes shooting

### Location

Don Carter Lanes, Rockford, Illinois, United States

## Shooting

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, most of the bowling alley was closed to the public, only leaving the second-floor bar and food carryout area. There were a little over twenty people inside the building at the time. Shortly before 6:55 P.M., 37-year-old Special Forces soldier Duke Webb opened fire just outside the building before heading inside. Three were killed and three were injured, including two teenagers picking up takeout. Amanda Hollenbeck and her boyfriend were ordering drinks when the shooting began; they hid on the balcony and described Webb's eyes as "lifeless" when he shot someone. Most of the shooting was filmed by security cameras. First responders arrived within a minute of the 9-1-1 call; Webb attempted to conceal his weapons and identity however an eye witness identified the former to the officers, leading to his arrest and eventually to him telling officers where he hid his guns.

## Victims

In total, there were three killed, all men in their late sixties and early seventies. Their identities were released on December 28:

* Thomas Furseth, age 65
* Jerome Woodfork, age 69
* Dennis Steinhoff, age 73

The wounded were 14-year-old Printess Wynn who was shot in the face, his 16-year-old friend Aaliyha Estrada who was shot in the shoulder, and 62-year-old Tyrone Lewis who was shot five times.

## Perpetrator

Duke Webb, 37, was a Special Forces Assistant Operations and Intelligence Sergeant first class as a engineer and parachute rigger, assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group based in Eglin Air Force Base near Pensacola, Florida and had joined the US Army in 2008. He was on leave at the time of the shooting. Webb is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. In his first court appearance via video on December 28, Webb's former attorney, Elizabeth Bucko, acknowledged that he would be undergoing mental health evaluations and raised claims that Webb potentially suffers from PTSD. On February 19, 2021, Webb pleaded not guilty to the charges. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 30.

## Reactions

Webb's family released a statement, expressing their condolences towards the victims families. Colonel John W. Sannes, the Commander of the 7th Special Forces Group, also offered his condolences and stated that his department as well as the Army were coordinating with the Rockford Police Department's investigation. Rockford mayor, Tom McNamara, expressed his anger and sadness over the shooting and also praised the actions of first responders. A GoFundMe was created shortly after the shooting to help the families of the victims, and the Illinois Bank & Trust and a local business, established a victims relief fund to help provide direct financial relief to victims and their families. On December 29, Diane Wynn, mother of Printess Wynn who was shot, created a separate GoFundMe for her son, managing to raise over $2000 in less than a day. The shooting occurred a day after the Nashville bombing early Christmas morning.