Bullet-wounded maintenance worker reportedly turns the tables on armed robber, wrestling gun away and shooting his attacker

An Illinois apartment maintenance worker who was shot during an attempted robbery Tuesday reportedly turned the tables by wrestling the gun away and shooting his attacker.

What are the details?

Waukegan police officers responded around 10:45 a.m. to Beechwood at the Preserve Apartments in the 3000 block of 8th Street after a report of a shooting, the Lake & McHenry County Scanner reported.

Arriving officers learned that two individuals had been shot, the outlet said.

Authorities found a 17-year-old male with a gunshot wound to his thigh in an apartment, the outlet noted, citing a police report. An officer applied a tourniquet to the teen’s leg before paramedics arrived, the outlet reported.

Authorities also found a 20-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his thigh on the ground by a dumpster, the outlet said, citing the police report. An officer provided first aid to him before paramedics arrived, the outlet added.

The 20-year-old man — who was working maintenance for the apartment building — told officers that the 17-year-old male tried to rob him with a gun, but he fought the teen, the outlet said, citing the police report.

The maintenance worker was able to gain control of the gun and shot the suspect with it, the outlet noted.

In addition, the police report noted that a witness corroborated the maintenance worker's account, the outlet said.

What happened next?

Paramedics took the teen and the maintenance worker to a hospital, the outlet reported, adding that officers recovered a gun and ammunition from the area where the incident reportedly took place.

The outlet added that a second gun was found in the alleged gunman's apartment.

Police are continuing to investigate, the outlet also said.

How are folks reacting?

Commenters on the outlet's Facebook post about the incident seemed pleased with how things played out:

• "Street justice is so sweet!" one commenter declared.
• "Get that man a raise and a Purple Heart," another commenter said.
• "He got lucky that it was just maintenance guy," another commenter quipped. "Those heating and cooling boys don't play!!!!!"
• "How goofy do you have to be to rob the maintenance man in the very same building YOU reside in — with another illegal gun stash inside," another commenter observed. "This has to be THE dumbest generation ever!"

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