A Wauconda man, who was a father of two, was fatally shot during a hostage situation that ended in the death of a gunman in northwest Illinois, authorities said.
The Ogle County Sheriff’s Office 911 Center received a call around 11:58 p.m. Saturday reporting a shooting in the 500 block of West Mason Street in Polo.
A 911 caller reported that a person had been shot with a handgun.
Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle said it was determined that a 19-year-old male suspect had shot another person and was holding additional people hostage inside the home.
The hostages were able to escape the residence safely prior to the arrival of law enforcement.
The Ogle County Emergency Response Team was activated along with the Northwest Illinois Critical Incident Team due to the severity of the incident, VanVickle said.
Members of the Ogle County Emergency Response Team and the Northwest Critical Incident Response Team entered the residence and found two people dead.
VanVickle said officers found an adult male victim, identified as Michael C. Gul, 29, of Wauconda.
Gul was found on the third floor and pronounced dead at the scene.
The suspect, identified as Joshua M. Conway, 19, of Polo, was also on the third floor and was suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, VanVickle said.
VanVickle said Conway was pronounced dead at the scene as well.
A search warrant was executed on Sunday at a separate residence associated with Conway.
Autopsies on Conway and Gul took place on Monday at the Ogle County Coroner’s Office and the results have not been released yet.
Wauconda resident Rebecca Ellison said Gul’s death has been “shocking, heartbreaking, and unbelievably devastating” for his friends and family.
“Michael was taken from us in a cruel and senseless act of violence. While we don’t have all the details, we know Michael did not deserve to be taken from his family at just 29 years old,” Ellison said.
Gul was the father of two sons — one who was 20 months old and the other who was seven years old. He also leaves behind a wife and his parents.
“He was a true light in this world and I feel lucky to have known him for as long as I did,” Ellison said, adding that Gul was the main supporter of his family.
A GoFundMe account created to help his family with expenses has raised almost $16,000 from 170 donors.
An obituary for Gul said he was a 2019 graduate of Rockford University where he obtained a degree in sports management.
He went on to pursue a career in parks and recreation and was employed at the Buffalo Grove Park District as Clubhouse Site Director and Camp Supervisor.
“Michael loved reading, football, video games and his family. His greatest passion, and what he took most pride in, was being a good family man and a great father to his kids,” his obituary said.
A visitation is set to be held at Kristan Funeral Home in Mundelein from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, with the service beginning at 4 p.m.
A celebration of life will be held at the Bosma-Gibson Funeral Home in Prophetstown on June 28.