Rolling Meadows man shot in attempted break-in
A 41-year-old Rolling Meadows man was shot several times while trying to prevent people from breaking into his home early Sunday morning, police said.
Police said the unidentified man remained hospitalized Tuesday afternoon after having undergone two surgeries to repair his bullet wounds. His condition was unknown.
Rolling Meadows police Commander Joseph Waitzman said the man and his roommate were at home on the 4700 block of Teonia Woods around 1 a.m. Sunday, in their bedrooms but not asleep, when two masked intruders broke through their front door and into the home.
The victim was shot four times with an unknown number of handguns, Waitzman said. He said police believe robbery was the motive behind the attack, but would not elaborate on what the robbers were seeking. The roommate, an adult man, was not injured.
After the attack, the man ran down the street to a neighbor's house, police said. Numerous calls were made to 911, including from the neighbor and the man's roommate.
Police found the shooting victim semiconscious in the front yard of the neighbor's house.
Police dogs tracked the trail of the two attackers southbound from the victim's residence to Tall Oaks Lane, where the dogs lost the trail and police theorize a car may have been waiting for them, Waitzman said.
Waitzman said police talked to the victim Tuesday, who told them he did not know his attackers.
Rolling Meadows police are asking anyone with information to call their investigations unit at (847) 255-2416 or (847) 870-9074.
Waitzman said police are confident that this was not a random event, and that the house specifically was targeted. He would not elaborate why police believe that, but assured neighbors they need not fear for their safety.
"We're very confident in saying that," Waitzman said, adding he would not elaborate. "There are some things we want to hold back."
However, while police believe that address was targeted, they are not saying whether they believe the wounded man was, in fact, a target.