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Police: Shooter felt cheated over invention

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By The Associated Press | Sunday, December 10, 2006 |

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS An unidentified person is taken from a commuter train station Friday in Chicago. Four people were shot Friday in a downtown Chicago skyscraper that also houses a commuter train station.

CHICAGO (AP) — The gunman who fatally shot three people in a law firm’s high-rise office before he was killed by police felt cheated over an invention, authorities said Saturday.

Joe Jackson, 59, told witnesses before he was shot that he had been deceived over his invention, a toilet for a truck, said Chicago Police Superintendent Phil Cline.

Jackson forced a security guard at gunpoint to bring him up to the 38th floor, home to the firm of Wood, Phillips, Katz, Clark & Mortimer, which specializes in intellectual property and patents, Cline said. Shortly after he chained the doors behind him, Jackson grabbed a hostage and started shooting.

Investigators were looking into a possible connection between Jackson and victim Michael R. McKenna, a patent attorney who rented space from the firm. Jackson had McKenna’s business card in his pocket, Cline said.

“We know he went there for Mr. McKenna, then he continued to shoot other people,” Cline said.

Cline said Jackson, who carried a manila envelope that contained a revolver, a knife and a hammer, had tried at least one other time on Friday to go up to the firm’s offices, but was turned away.

Jackson had three criminal offenses on his record, Cline said. In 1968 he was arrested for unlawful possession of a weapon and in 1977 he was arrested for a stolen motor vehicle and disorderly conduct.

A call placed to a listing for Jackson at an address provided by the Cook County medical examiner’s office reached a telephone company recording, which said the customer had requested the listing remain private.

SWAT officers shot Jackson with a sniper rifle from about 45 yards away after no negotiation.

Jackson died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the medical examiner’s office, which also released the identities of three of the victims early Saturday. They were: McKenna, 58, of Chicago; attorney Allen J. Hoover, 65, of Wilmette; and Paul Goodson, 78, of Chicago, a retired school teacher.