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By Polly Mosendz
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A homicide investigation is ongoing in Fox Lake, Illinois after officials determined police officer Lt. Joseph Gliniewicz was shot twice with his own gun before succumbing to his injuries on September 1.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday morning, investigation officials said Gliniewicz engaged in a struggle during which he was shot in the side and chest with his own weapon. Gliniewicz had been pursuing three suspects on foot. After he lost radio contact, back up arrived and found him dead, sparking a massive manhunt throughout the region.
While a full blown manhunt is no longer ongoing, nine DNA samples were collected from the scene, linked to at least three individuals. The samples will be run against the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) to find matches.
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"If there's no [immediate] match, everyday these unknown samples will be run against new samples. So if someone is arrested in six months, and there's a match, that's a major lead," Lake County Sheriff's Office detective Christopher Covelli tells Newsweek.
A gunshot residue test performed at the crime scene was inconclusive and as a result, it remains unknown if Gliniewicz fired the weapon or was in close proximity the weapon when it was fired. "[Gunshot residue tests] are not the end all, be all of any investigation," Covelli says. Because police officers regularly carry firearms, the transfer of residue has a much higher likelihood than with laypersons, and as a result, such a test is more likely to be inconclusive.
Earlier this month, a report indicated Gliniewicz may have committed suicide, however, officials on Thursday clarified this continues to be a homicide investigation. "I've heard the word conspiracy used quite often and we want the public to have as much information as possible without comprising our investigation," a spokesman said.
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