Island Lake police officers rescue deputies in Holiday Hills shooting, McHenry County sheriff says

WOODSTOCK – Tales of bravery and heroics are now being revealed since the dust has settled following last week's ambush in Holiday Hills that left two deputies recovering from gunshot wounds.

McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren on Monday lauded the actions of quick-thinking police officers, who stepped into the line of fire to save their fellow law enforcement officers.

Island Lake officers Victoria Gwizdak and Gilbert Hueramo were the first to respond to Holiday Hills shortly after 1 a.m. Oct. 16. Two McHenry County Sheriff's deputies responding to a domestic incident had just been gunned down on the front stoop of the home.

Deputies Dwight Maness and Kahlia Satkiewicz both sustained gunshot wounds, and are recovering from their injuries.

Nygren said Gwizdak and Hueramo pulled the deputies to safety as 52-year-old Scott B. Peters continued to fire upon the officers. McHenry County Sheriff's Deputy Steven Nulle responded shortly after and helped pull Satkiewicz behind a tree to safety, Undersheriff Andy Zinke said.

"Without regard for their own safety, they put themselves in harm's way to save their lives," Nygren said. "That's courageous. That's honorable."

Eric Luna, a third sheriff's deputy also responding to the domestic call, returned "numerous rounds" before Peters eventually retreated inside. Peters managed to slip away from authorities before police back up arrived. He was arrested about 6 miles from his home about 16 hours later.

Luna, 29, was uninjured, and on Monday was back at work on light administrative duties — common protocol when deputies witness or undergo traumatic events, Nygren said. Luna has worked for the Sheriff's Office for two years.

Maness was shot twice — once in the back injuring his abdomen, and according to family members, narrowly missing his spine. A second bullet shattered his femur and severed a vein. That injury likely will require a second surgery. He's being treated at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

Amid the chaos and gunfire, Hueramo, a part-time officer who also works at other departments, used his own tourniquet to stop the bleeding on Maness' leg.

"Had he not done that, [Maness] would have bled to death," Nygren said, adding that he's spoken with Maness' doctors. "That saved his life."

Deputy Satkiewicz was shot once in the leg, but has since been released from medical treatment. She's recovering at home, the Sheriff's Office said.

As he recuperates, Maness' stepdaughter has started an online fundraiser to alleviate the financial stresses of him being off work. As of late Monday, it had raised $3,825.

It will be at least four months before pressure can be applied to the leg, and close to a year of rehabilitation before Maness goes back to work, according to the Go Fund Me site.

Both Maness and Satkiewicz will remain on the Sheriff's Office payroll with full benefits through their recovery, Nygren said.

A third Island Lake officer, Lisa Knebl, also was one of the first to respond and helped the wounded deputies to the ambulance, Police Chief Don Bero said.

"They were trained very well, and they did what they had to do in a very dangerous situation," Bero said. "They stepped right up and did what they had to do with no hesitation."

Nygren also commended the actions of all those who responded to the manhunt that brought assistance from more than 200 law enforcement, medical crews, dispatchers and those in civil services.

"I'm more than proud," Nygren said Monday. "I'm honored to be able to work with them."

This week, the Sheriff's Office will host a voluntary debriefing with Northern Illinois Critical Incident Stress Management Team this week for those involved.

"People think we're a bunch of macho men," Nygren said. "We're not. We're just like everybody else, and sometimes we need to talk about things."

How to help

Dwight Maness' stepdaughter created an online fundraiser to help alleviate financial stresses in what is said to be a long recovery. To date, more than $3,000 was raised the day it was created. It can be found at www.gofundme.com/g1c6r8.