Oak Creek Man Accused Of Stabbing IL In-Laws Over Divorce: Sheriff

CRETE, IL — An Oak Creek man has been arrested after authorities said he shot at and stabbed his in-laws in Illinois on Thursday in an attempt for revenge over an impending divorce, the Will County Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday.

It happened in the unincorporated town of Crete in the 2600 block of Shady Grove Court around 6:40 p.m., a sheriff's news release said. Officers were alerted to a possible shooting, and soon found three people — including the accused Oak Creek man — bleeding heavily inside a house, the sheriff's office said.

Michael Liu, 36, is now facing charges including battery, home invasion, and two counts of attempted murder, according to online Illinois court records. Liu was released from hospital care recently and was brought to the Will County Adult Detention Facility where he is awaiting an initial court appearance, authorities said.

Liu traveled from Oak Creek that day and parked his car down the street from his in-law's home in Crete, the sheriff's office said. A complaint alleged that Liu then fired several shots from a gun in the direction of the couple, but missed all of them, police said. Crete is located about 100 miles south of Oak Creek.

Liu then smashed a sliding door to enter the home and continued shooting but his gun malfunctioned, according to the sheriff's office. After Liu entered the home he stabbed the 66-year-old woman several times and then stabbed her 68-year-old husband when he came to her defense, the sheriff's office said.

The man was eventually able to wrestle Liu to the ground and take his knife, then he turned the knife on Liu and stabbed him around 17 times, the sheriff's news release said.

As of Wednesday, the 66-year-old was released from hospital care while the 68-year-old man is in stable condition recovering, the sheriff's office said.

In the release, Will County Sheriff Mike Kelly commended Deputies Harris and Swanson — both in their first year — for quick action that may have prevented three deaths that day.