BELOIT TOWNSHIP, Wis. -- A town of Beloit police sergeant remained hospitalized Monday after a Sunday morning shootout in a bowling alley parking lot that left a 26-year-old Rockford, Ill., man dead.
Authorities identified the man killed in the police-related shooting as Darryl Cooper.
Police Sgt. Richard Felger, an eight-year veteran of the department, remained in Beloit Memorial Hospital after being shot once in the leg, Chief Steve Kopp said.
Kopp said Felger was in "stable" condition and said he wasn't sure how long Felger would be hospitalized. He said he expects "he's going to have a pretty significant recovery period."
Officers involved in a shooting typically are placed on administrative leave while the case is investigated. Kopp said investigators would be "beyond those concerns" by the time Felger is able to return to work.
Authorities still were investigating Monday how many people fired shots and how many shots were discharged, Kopp said. He also could not say for sure if Felger fired the fatal shots at Cooper.
Authorities on Monday detailed how the shooting unfolded at 1:43 a.m. Sunday in the parking lot of Rex Lanes, 2547 Park Ave.
According to Kopp:
Felger drove into the parking lot as part of his regular patrol duties. Rex Lanes frequently hosts large gatherings in the bar area known as Striker's Lounge, and officers often visit the parking lot at closing time to monitor events and serve as a deterrent.
Early Sunday morning, the parking lot was filled with vehicles and a large crowd was exiting the building.
As Felger walked through the parking lot, he heard gunfire. Felger saw a man with a handgun and confronted him.
The man fired at Felger, striking him in the left leg. Felger returned fire, incapacitating the man. Felger was able to call for additional assistance, and numerous officers from surrounding agencies and emergency medical services responded.
Felger was admitted to Beloit Memorial Hospital and underwent surgery.
Cooper suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The results of a Monday autopsy in Madison are pending.
Kopp could not say how far apart Felger and Cooper were at the time of the shooting or how many people were in the immediate area.
Investigators still were interviewing witnesses and others with information.
Multiple shell casings were recovered at the scene, Kopp said, and physical evidence has been submitted to the State Crime Lab.
Rex Lanes does not have a history of serious problems, but Kopp said the business had been hosting "parties" drawing crowds in the hundreds for the last few months. Police previously made arrests for disorderly conduct and drug-related violations, Kopp said.
"Certainly nothing of this magnitude," he said. "But it's a preventative measure on our part for our officers to be present at closing time."
The state Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Rock County Sheriff's Office and the city of Beloit Police Department.
Copyright 2011 - The Janesville Gazette, Wis.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
