School Board President Tackles Shooter Who Opened Fire in St. Charles Subdivision

ST. CHARLES, IL - It was definitely not the typical evening walk Tuesday for District 303 School Board president Steve Spurling and his wife, Diane.

The couple was heading north in the 1000 block of Hunt Club Drive just before 6:30 p.m. when they saw a woman come running out of her home. A man was trying to calm the woman and the woman was bloodied, said Spurling, who lives in the neighborhood.

The woman ran to Spurling’s wife as she tried to get away. While Spurling was walking behind the two women, the man pulled out a revolver and opened fire.

“One shot went off and then another. It took a second or two for me to register what was happening,” Spurling said.

When he did, he quickly grabbed the shooter and tackled him to the ground. He estimates that a total of four shots were fired.

“I held him to the ground,” Spurling said. “Police were there in a matter of minutes.”

No one was injured in the shooting, which police are labeling a “domestic incident.” The gun was recovered and police said they have one person in custody but have not released his name or age. Deputy Chief Dave Kintz said charges are expected to be filed later today.

"This appears to be an isolated incident," police said.

The shooting happened in an otherwise-quiet neighborhood that is packed with families and surrounded by walking trails and parks. Spurling said he does not consider himself a hero and that he just did what he had to do to protect his wife, who was in the direct line of the shots.

"It all happened so fast," he said.

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