A man inadvertently shot and killed his wife while cleaning his firearm and then turned the weapon on himself, resulting in his own death, police confirmed.
On Saturday, July 15, at around 5:45 pm, Simeon Hendrickson, a 61-year-old resident of Bolingbrook, Illinois, was tending to his handgun when the weapon unintentionally discharged. The bullet fatally struck his wife, Laurie Hendrickson, 60, according to a report from the Bolingbrook Police Department.
Overcome by the horror of his actions, Simeon Hendrickson then chose to use the same firearm to end his life.
Upon arriving in response to a report of a man who had accidentally shot himself, law enforcement officers discovered that Simeon was deceased and two rounds had been fired. It also came to light that Laurie Hendrickson had sustained serious injury.
Following the episode, Laurie was promptly taken to a nearby hospital. Despite the dedicated efforts of medical personnel, she was later declared dead. The double tragedy has deeply affected their loved ones, including their son Derek Hendrickson. Derek took to Facebook to share his sorrow and to remember his parents, celebrating their profound love and the guidance they provided him.
Notably, Simeon Hendrickson was known in his community for providing concealed carry classes at a suburban Chicago facility, as seen on his Facebook posts. The unfortunate incident once again brings attention to the risks associated with firearms, a concern underscored by the 549 accidental gun deaths reported in the United States in 2021 by the Pew Research Center.