Antioch woman lunges at officers with sword

Lake County sheriff's deputies shot an Antioch woman Tuesday afternoon after she reportedly lunged at them with a Samurai-style sword.

The 54-year-old woman, whose identity was not released, was in Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran said.

She appears to have two bullet wounds, he said, one in the buttocks and another around her collar bone.

Curran said deputies were called to 40365 N. Route 83 at 2:09 p.m. for reports of a woman throwing objects at vehicles near Route 83 and Eagles Nest Road near her house. Those included glass cups, pitchers and a gas can full of liquid, Curran said.

When deputies arrived, the woman was inside the home and deputies saw her holding a sword-type weapon, Lake County sheriff's Sgt. Christopher Thompson said.

Deputies entered the house told her to drop the sword. When she refused, they attempted to use their Tasers on her to no effect, Curran said. Because of the angles of the house and the confined spaces they were working in, it's not clear the Tasers ever made contact with her.

That's when she quickly went after the deputies with the razor sharp 3-foot-long Samurai-style sword, Curran said. Deputies fired at least three rounds, striking her twice.

The Lake County Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the shooting, but Curran said he feels his deputies were completely justified in defending themselves against "deadly force."

Thompson said the deputies were not involved in any previous shootings. One of them is a veteran with more than 20 years of service and the other has been with the department for nearly 10-years, he said.

Curran said there is no indication what started the problems at the residence, or what caused the woman to begin throwing items at passing traffic. Deputies have in the past, though, responded to the house for reports of "bizarre behavior."