The diagram included in the Sheriff's Department probe of the shooting.
Looks like there might be a deeper investigation of the wounding of McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Eric Woods if incumbent Keith Nygren isn’t re-elected.
The Sheriff's Department produced this image when I filed a Freedom of Information request for the dog target from which frangible bullets are said to have ricocheted into four different parts of Deputy Eric Woods' body. A photo of the original target was unavailable, according to the Sheriff''s Department.
It’s not too likely that Democrat Mike Mahon will defeat Nygren,
- given the predominant Republican leanings in McHenry County,
- Nygren’s incumbency advantages,
- his decisive primary victory and
- having the biggest campaign war chest in county politics,
but miracles do happen every once in a while.
It is less likely, of course, that Green Party candidate for Sheriff Gus Philpott will win. In fact, his candidacy is likely to drain votes from Mahon’s total.
Below is Mahon’s press release:
MAHON VOWS PROBE OF WOODS SHOOTING IF ELECTED;
COMPARES PROJECTILE TO JFK’S “MAGIC BULLET”
Sheriff’s candidate Mike Mahon vowed Friday to bring in a full outside investigation of the shooting incident at the McHenry County Sheriff’s Firing Range March 15 that injured a deputy new to the SWAT team.
Mahon said that it’s become clear that Sheriff Keith Nygren has not conducted a thorough investigation nor does he intend to do so for fear of political damage.
Deputy Eric Woods was seriously injured by bullet fragments during a SWAT exercise, requiring extensive hospitalization and surgery. He has recently returned to work following several weeks on the “injured on duty” rolls.
Mahon said that the contradictory and incomplete Sheriff’s Office reports that have been obtained by various parties in the media and local activists using FOIA actually raise more questions than they answer.
In addition, there are multiple reports that show unmistakable signs of having been coordinated and overall a general lack of interest in pursing the truth at the Sheriff’s command level.
Mahon added:
Mike Mahon
“The frangible ammo that the MCSO claims was deployed that day could not possibly have caused these wounds.
“We are being asked to believe that these bullets acquired magical properties, like the one that hit President Kennedy in 1963.
“”When I take office, one of my first official acts will be to get to the bottom of this incident,”
Mahon said.
“Whether it’s investigators from my newly-created
- McHenry County Sheriff’s Internal Affairs Division,
- OSHA (U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration),
- the State Police or
- another body with the expertise and credentials to do a thorough job,
they will be tasked with dispersing the many clouds that hang over Deputy Woods’s dangerous misadventure. The implications for future officer safety are just too serious.”
For more information contact the Mike Mahon for Sheriff Campaign at 847.515.4772.
Wow wasn’t interested a month ago in this story and suprising not intrested now either.
Well, KnockKnock, you are obviously enamored with Keith’s way of handling something that should be of great interest to every voter out here, but perhaps you don’t vote. In fact, your failure to take an interest mirrors Keith’s.
It is always disappointing that supporters of what has become, over the past 3 years, a totally failed administration, seem to lack the courage to move to change the dirty diaper.
I recall reading a post some time back that referred to “Crook County”.
It seems to me that McHenry County has become as corrupt and plagued by vested self-interests as Cook.
That is “an open secret”, though, isn’t it?
You do not speak for anyone but yourselves – Keith’s boys, locked in a world that feeds on corruption and cover-up. It is very unfortunate for the rest of us that you are more interested in preserving the status quo than preserving law and order.
Thats why you’re just like Keith, a most unfortunate attitude for a man sworn to uphold the law.
So, let’s get down to it: exactly what does interest you?
What would you ask Mike Mahon that might be of interest and benefit to the greater community, to seniors, and businesses, and all the families in both the incorporated and unincorporated parts of this county?
You were interested enough in Mahon’s press release to read it and take time to comment on it.
And just so I am clear, I’ll say it: if the election were held tomorrow, I’ve decided this conservative independent vote would go to Mike Mahon for Sheriff, and I’ve voted Republican since I was old enough to vote.
On Tuesday, May 18, I telephoned the Office of the Illinois Attorney General to request an investigation into the Woods’ shooting injury. I had a press release written and waited for an attorney to call me back. And waited. And waited.
Mike Mahon and I hold the same view of Sheriff Nygren’s failed investigation, analysis or critique of the Woods’ injury. It wasn’t “road rash”. The collusion in report-writing and failure to document the review promised on March 28, if indeed any internal review was actually held, is inexcusable.
Will Dep. Woods write a report and state exactly what happened, including how long he was in the “shoot room” before others entered?
Now that I think about it, wasn’t this one of the investigations headed up by then-Lt. Andy-now-Undersheriff Zinke?
Didn’t Keith tell us that he never realized how much he depended on Andy over the past few years and that Andy’s “fingerprints were all over every major investigation” in recent memory?
Perhaps the wounding of a Deputy is not considered “major” to Nygren. Perhaps Andy was vacationing in Wisconsin or Florida, or maybe he was just too busy to take this mess on.
Mike Mahon’s proposal to create an Internal Affairs unit in his department would be of enormous benefit to those who want to sign official complaints against Sheriff’s employees who get too physical with a senior citizen during a traffic stop, or happen to have their car hit by a Sheriff’s employee, or are just plain rude to folks coming to the courthouse on business.
The cynic in me asks “How can a Sheriff’s employee investigate a Sheriff’s employee?”
I guess I’d now like to hear what kind of authority IA investigators would have. On TV and in the movies, all the regular cops hate them.
But, what if the Undersheriff or the Sheriff, himself, got a little out of line with a citizen.
Would Mike Mahon’s internal investigations be objective and reliable – or would this new idea turn into something like a mink ranch: it looks good on paper, but in reality, it stinks – something like we now have with Keith Nygren and Andy Zinke.
So, who actually did the investigation of Wood’s incident?
Gee, I guess Keith is sitting back, looking at that massive war chest he’s accumulated and figuring some 4-color door hangers and some display ads in the Herald will see him into office yet again.
Why won’t the citizens of McHenry County, as one blogger said, just “flush the toilet”.
If Mike Mahon is a screw-up – and at this point there is no reason to believe he would be – vote Mahon out next time around.
We can vote.
Our votes can improve the quality of law enforcement out here, if we insist on accountability and a professional demeanor from our officers. I’ve written this before, but, to date, Mike Mahon is the ONLY man in the race for Sheriff who is coming up with practical, intelligent and new (for us) ideas.
Sorry, Gus, but pledging to drive the VW to the job every day, and having been a part-timer just isn’t sufficient bona fides for the budget and job you guys are seeking.
You would better serve the larger community by continuing to monitor and report the good, the bad, and the ugly. I can think of no one better to be the County watchdog.
You seriously should consider throwing your full support behind Mike Mahon.
I would sincerely ask the people of McHenry county to no longer comment on the corruption they suspect is going on in Cook county. Reading Cal’s blog shows me that not only is there a tremendous veil of impropriety in the Mchenry county sheriff’s office, but given the opportunity to change what’s going on in that office you refuse.
You have a candidate in Mike Mahon who is screaming out to the people of McHenry I WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE, I WILL CHANGE THE WAY THIS OFFICE IS RUN,I WILL WORK FULL TIME, and Cal says it will take a miracle for Mike to win, thats insane. Trust me when given a real alternative in crook county they make the change. They listen to the media watch dogs. Their last two sheriffs have been the most open and accountable they have ever had.
Sheriff Nygren seems to run his office anyway he wants and simply excuses himself by saying because I said so, and everyone just says OK. I am asking the the voters of McHenry to please open your minds, get off of your strict party lines, listen to whats going on in sheriff Nygren’s office then make your decision. if you’ll do that than Mike won’t need a miraclel Nygren will.