Court docs reveal details about how witness in Freeport shooting became primary suspect

FREEPORT, Ill. – Court documents reveal new details about a Freeport shooting in October that left one man seriously injured and calling for help in nearby business.

What we already knew.

On Oct. 30, shortly after 10 p.m., Freeport Police say officers responded to a report of a gunshot victim who entered a business in the 1300 block of W. Galena Avenue.

Upon arrival, officers found a 43-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound to the stomach that was suffered at a nearby location, according to police.

On the following day, police say Michael Blasing, 66, of Freeport, was arrested in connection to the shooting but was only charged with Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon.

New charges against Blasing.

Blasing now faces one count of Attempted First Degree Murder, and one count of Aggravated Battery with Firearm, both a Class X Felony, court records show.

New court documents we recently obtained reveal how Blasing was initially considered a witness but quickly became the primary suspect during the investigation.

The investigation.

^{Victim will be identified by their initials (ZJ)}

On Oct. 30, at around 10:06 p.m., officers responded to a bar, named Pretzel City Club, located in the 1300 block of W Galena Ave in Freeport for a report of a shooting victim, court documents show.

Investigators who first arrived on scene noted seeing a light blue or silver 2014 Chevrolet Equinox with Illinois registration parked in the middle of the parking lot, but not in a designated parking space, with the driver’s door left open.

Investigators then found a black man, later identified as ZJ, laying on the ground, yelling in pain about being shot, inside the south side doors of the bar. An unknown woman was seen applying pressure to his stomach, court documents show.

As he was being loaded into an ambulance, investigators say ZJ told them the name of the shooter was Michael Blasing.

Authorities then found a known address for Blasing on Hillview Lane located about one-half mile to the north of the bar.

Back to the scene of the bar, investigators found a cell phone laying on the pavement a couple feet from the Equinox that rang several times from a number with a 608 area code, court documents show.

The phone was collected as evidence and the vehicle was secured with evidence tape before being towed and secured in indoor storage, court documents show.

At the hospital, staff were tending to two apparent gunshot wounds on ZJ’s stomach area which appeared to have been made by one bullet as an entry and exit wound, court documents show.

Investigators also noticed black burn marks on a bloody white t-shirt removed from ZJ before he was airlifted to Rockford in critical condition, court documents show.

Confronting Michael Blasing.

Officers went to the 40 block of Hillview Lane where they found Blasing outside his home with a neighbor from the street to the north, Mulberry Lane, court documents show.

Blasing and the neighbor told officers they heard a loud boom and came outside to investigate when they saw each other and began talking, court documents show.

Investigators say Blasing was cooperative and agreed to come to the Freeport Police department to provide a statement.

First interview.

Despite being told he was not under arrest and free to go at any time, Blasing talked to a detective at the Freeport Police Department, court documents show.

Blasing told the detective he was at his sister’s trailer, also located on Hillview Lane, until about noon, court documents show.

Afterward, Blasing told the detective he returned to his home and watched TV and ‘hung out.’ He claimed he was eating when he heard a shot, court documents show.

Blasing told the detective he waited a minute after hearing the shot before he looked out a window and saw tail lights from a car driving by, court documents show.

Blasing told the detective he went outside and met with a neighbor when he found a Croc shoe that had blood on it. He said he then went back inside and waited for police to arrive, court documents show.

During the interview, Blasing admitted he was a convicted felon from when he lived in Missouri, and gave officers consent to search his home and signed a consent to search form, court documents show.

Investigators found two shotgun shells on the floor a couple feet inside the west side door of Blasing’s home. He told them there was more ammunition in a container left by his parents who previously lived there.

The day after shooting.

On Oct. 31, at around 9:30 a.m., investigators met with the owner of the Equinox, identified as SW, at the police department. She told them she had no knowledge of the shooting but she and ZJ and been in an ‘on and off’ relationship for about one year, court documents show.

SW told investigators ZJ was with her at her apartment in the 2000 block of W Galena Ave, located about one-half mile west of the bar, until around 9:30 p.m. before he took her Equinox and said he was going to Rockford, court documents show.

SW said she had not heard anything else from ZJ during the night and then went to work the next morning. Adding, she did not know the name Michael Blasing and did not know if ZJ did either. She denied knowing anyone living on Hillview Lane, and gave officers consent to search the vehicle.

While looking for more evidence in the area, investigators were approached by Blasing again on Pleasant Lane, one street south of where he lived, where he maintained he did not know ZJ and did not know why he said he shot him, court documents show.

Blasing told investigators he could hear a vehicle accelerating rapidly when he got outside and could see taillights of a vehicle traveling eastbound on Hillview Lane, but could not provide a description, court documents show.

The ‘smoking gun.’

A crime scene technician with Illinois State Police searched and processed the Equinox where he found a shotgun slug projectile lodged in the driver’s side B-pillar inside the vehicle, court documents show.

The B-pillar is located between a vehicle’s front and rear side glass, where it serves as a structural support of its roof.

The slug still had a wad attached to it and had pinned a tag from a 3XL shirt between it and the plastic trim it was lodged in. There was blood visible on the projectile and on the plastic trim, court documents show.

The confession.

On Nov. 1, at around 3:30 p.m., the detective met with Blasing at the Stephenson County Jail for a Mirandized interview.

According to court documents, Blasing admitted to the detective he shot the victim but didn’t know his actual name and only referred to him by a nickname.

In order to ensure the victim’s privacy, I will not use the nickname, but instead continue referring to the victim with initials (ZJ.)

Blasing told the detective he bought drugs from ZJ and would be regularly threatened by him for money. Adding, ZJ would give him a short deadline to pay him back and if he didn’t pay in time, ZJ would add a large amount of interest to the amount he owed, court documents show.

Blasing claimed ZJ came to his home and demanded cash from him with a gun on his lap, court documents show.

After telling ZJ he would go back inside to grab some money, Blasing admitted to the detective he instead grabbed his 20-gauge bolt-action shotgun then came back outside and shot ZJ, court documents show.

After shooting ZJ, Blasing told the detective he put the gun underneath a wheelchair ramp at his home, court documents show.

Officers were sent back to Blasing’s home where they could see, from the sidewalk, what appeared to be a black barrel of a firearm underneath a ramp, court documents show.

After obtaining a search warrant, officers seized a Steven’s Arms Model 258A 20-gauge shotgun, and 20-gauge shotgun shell, from Blasing’s home, along with a Motorola cell phone and piece of mail addressed to Blasing, court documents show.

What’s next?

On Nov. 4, Blasing appeared in court where a judge denied pretrial release. He will remain in custody at the Stephenson County Jail until trial, court records show.

On Nov. 13, Blasing pled Not Guilty to the charges, court records show.

On Dec. 4, Jury Pretrial and Jury Trial dates were scheduled. However, due to Blasing seeking to retain private counsel, the dates were cancelled, court records show.

Blasing is scheduled to return to court, with private counsel, Feb. 5 at 1:30 p.m.

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