Police: Marine suffering from PTSD shot after pointing weapon at cops
By Frank Abderholden fabderholden@stmedianetwork.com February 16, 2012 9:46PM
Waukegan Police shot a suspect brandishing a handgun at the Holiday Inn Express located at 611 Lakehurst Rd. in Waukegan on Wednesday night. The suspect died from his gunshot wound. The Lake County Major Crime Task Force is leading the investigation. The involved officer was not injured. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 18, 2012 8:19AM
WAUKEGAN — An autopsy was scheduled for today on the body of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan who died after he pointed a laser-sighted handgun at police while holding a hostage.
John D. Corcoran, 33, who served multiple war zone tours, was shot once in the chest Wednesday night as police entered the lobby of the Holiday Inn Express and Suites at Fountain Square.
Authorities said Corcoran, who reportedly has relatives in Elgin, was honorably discharged as a private first class in 2009 after suffering injuries from an improvised explosive device. Most recently, he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, they said.
“This is a tragic end to a brave Marine’s life. He survived the horrors of war and made it home physically, but his most difficult battle raged from within,” said Waukegan Police Chief Dan Greathouse. “I fear this trend will continue if we as a nation don’t recognize and confront PTSD with the same fervor as we would any other enemy.”
It could not be confirmed that Corcoran was being treated at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, North Chicago, but he had been living at the hotel at 611 Lakehurst Road for about a week. Authorities said he had threatened suicide in the past.
Police said they were called to the hotel about 8:30 p.m. for an armed suicidal person. Police found Corcoran in the lobby, sitting in a chair and aiming what appeared to be a gun with a laser sighting system at a male hostage lying face down on the floor at his feet, police said.
Police evacuated a female customer from the counter area and approached Corcoran yelling commands and identifying themselves as police officers. When Corcoran directed the weapon at officers, police said, he was shot once in the chest. The male hostage ran and was uninjured, reports stated.
Police later learned the gun was a replica pellet gun fitted with an authentic laser sighting system.
Corcoran graduated from basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, in 2000, and his father James F. Corcoran lived in Elgin at that time. Corcoran was a 1999 graduate of Mauston High School in Mauston, Wis.
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