News

Death of Illinois cop could have been suicide

The death of former Fox Lake Lt. Charles Gliniewicz is now being investigated as a possible suicide after Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd disclosed a statement regarding the fatal shooting of Gliniewicz that suggests the wound may have been self-inflicted.Gliniewicz was killed after telling the dispatcher he was in pursuit of a black male and two white males on September 1. Gliniewicz was later found dead face-down by his backup officer in a marshy area of the village, according to officials.Gliniewicz had been shot twice. One bullet hitting his bulletproof vest while the other bullet pierced his chest in a downward trajectory beneath his vest, striking near the heart, sources close to the investigation tell Fox News. Two shell casings were also found about 100 feet apart near the body.His service weapon was found near his body and that it had been fired more than once, investigators said. One of Gliniewicz’s hands was also found under his chest in a gun-holding position, Fox News reported. There were also no signs of a struggle.Police will continue to investigate the case in all the possible directions, however, they are “still pursuing this as a homicide,” Lake County Sheriff’s Office Det. Christopher Covelli told the Chicago Tribune.Last Thursday, Rudd disclosed a statement rebuking the theory that Gliniewicz was shot in the back or the neck and revealed that he had suffered from a wound to the torso. This revelation prompted outrage from the investigators who believed Rudd had jeopardised the investigation with this statement.An autopsy report will be finalized as soon as DNA, gunshot residue and ballistic test results are in, said Rudd.“… I cannot give a manner of death because I don’t know what happened in terms of where did this bullet come from,” Rudd told the Chicago Tribune. “Right now, all unnatural deaths are up for suggestion. That means homicide, suicide, accident, undetermined.”