Illinois policeman fatally shot with his own gun

Fox Lake Police officer Charles Joseph Gliniewicz was killed with his own weapon, the head of the team investigating the death said Thursday. He asked for backup at 7:55 a.m., officers arrived at 8:01 a.m., and Gliniewicz’s body was found at 8:09 a.m. about 50 yards from his vehicle, police have said.

They were also running a few of those samples through a national database in hopes of a match.

Lead investigator George Filenko compared the first shot to a “sledgehammer” as it hit Gliniewicz from the side and incapacitated him.

Filenko said nine unknown samples of DNA were recovered from the crime scene.

Commander Filenko said the investigation is being conducted as a homicide probe but he indicated that detectives aren’t ruling out the possibility of suicide.

Gunshot residue tests showed that weapon could have been fired by Gliniewicz, or that he could have been in the close proximity of the weapon, Filenko said.

Christopher Covelli, right, answer reporter’s questions during a press conference giving an update on the investigation into the death of Fox Lake Police Lt. Joe Gliniewicz Thursday, October 1, 2015 in Fox Lake, Ill.

He also noted that, based on Global Positioning System information from Gliniewicz’s auto, he had been in that area for about 20 minutes before he radioed in. The second, fatal shot hit Gliniewicz’s “upper left chest region”.

“It’s inconclusive”, Filenko said.

Authorities also are awaiting results of additional ballistics testing, Filenko said.

Filenko said additional DNA swabs were being collected Thursday, and 30 to 40 samples were being sent to the Illinois State Police crime lab for comparison.

The number of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms working on the case had dropped to 10 – down from 48 – and the US Marshals’ Fugitive Task Force has pulled out entirely.

Investigators believe Gliniewicz was in the area because the village recently purchased the property and there had been reports of vandalism and trespassing.

“That’s a fact we’re going to hold close to the cuff”, he said. But Filenko refused to reveal other key information, including how many times Gliniewicz’s gun was sacked in total and whether any of the DNA they are examining was found on his gun.