Charles Joseph Gliniewicz, the Illinois police officer whose death prompted a massive manhunt, actually shot himself investigators have concluded, the AP, WLS-TV and Fox 32 Chicago are reporting.
If you remember, back in September, Gliniewicz, 52, radioed to dispatchers that he was in pursuit of three suspects. Gliniewicz lost contact and was later found dead of a gunshot wound.
Federal and local authorities staged a huge manhunt and Gliniewicz was honored with an 18-mile funeral procession.
WLS-TV reports:
"Investigators have said Gliniewicz was shot with his own gun, once in the vest and once in the upper chest. Earlier in the investigation, authorities said gunshot residue tests could not determine if the lieutenant shot himself or was shot by someone else. "For weeks, investigators have been tight-lipped, even admonishing the coroner for suggesting the wounds could be self-inflicted. In late September, Commander George Filenko, head of the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, said the case was drawing towards a close. "'We are hoping to come to at least some conclusions in the next several weeks, but the investigation is still moving forward,' Cmdr. Filenko told the ABC7 I-Team. 'I think what we are looking at here is at least a finding by the coroner's office. I've been in contact with Dr. Rudd, our coroner, continuously, sometimes several times a week discussing the case. We have been working in unison and he has been extremely cooperative.'"
Authorities have scheduled a press conference for 11 a.m. ET., where they will make a formal announcement.
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