Man charged with Crete Township attempted murder of in-laws in violent ambush

In an act of revenge, the 36-year-old suspect in a Crete attack on Dec. 1, attempted to murder his in-laws by firing gunshots at them that missed, broke into their residence, fired more shots that missed and ultimately stabbed them, police said.

Michael Liu, 36, of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, was identified as the man responsible for the brutal attack and was booked into Will County jail on charges of attempted murder, home invasion, aggravated discharge of a firearm and other offenses.

At 6:41 a.m. on Dec. 1, deputies with Will County Sheriff’s Office were sent to 2600 block of Shady Grove Court in Crete Township for a report of a shooting, police said. The area is about 40 miles east of Joliet.

Deputies went inside the home and discovered a 66-year-old woman and her 68-year-old husband bleeding profusely from multiple injuries, police said.

Liu was also bleeding heavily at the scene, police said.

“At the early onset, all parties were in critical condition, it appeared that all three individuals may die as a result of their injuries,” police said.

The events that led to violence last week began when Liu was scheduled to to surrender himself to a jail in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on a domestic battery conviction and protective order complaint.

“Instead, Michael Liu traveled from Oak Creek Wisconsin in an attempt to exact revenge on his soon to be ex-wife’s parents,” police said.

Liu parked down the street from his in-laws residence.

“It is alleged in the criminal complaint warrant that Liu fired several shots in the direction of the couple as they sat in their living room,” police said.

Liu missed all the shots he fired, broke into the residence by smashing a sliding glass door and fired his weapon inside the residence several times, when the gun malfunctioned, police said.

Liu stabbed his former mother-in-law and then stabbed his former father-in-law when he came to his wife’s defense, police said.

The father-in-law was able to wrestle Liu down to the ground and took his knife away, police said.

“The male victim defended himself and his wife by stabbing Liu an estimated 17 times,” police said.

In a statement, Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley said, “If it were not for the quick action taken by the deputies on scene, three lives may have been lost that day.”

Kelley said the deputies, who are in their first year in law enforcement, did an outstanding job at controlling the scene and providing the injured individuals lifesaving aid.

Kelley said his heart “goes out to the victims in this senseless heinous attack.”

“It was clear what the offender’s intentions were, the minute he left the state of Wisconsin,” Kelley said.

Kelley thanked the Will County Sheriff’s Office who responded to the scene, deputies who assisted in guarding Mr. Liu inside the hospital and the detectives and CSI personnel that “put all the pieces together in order to make this quick arrest.”

“It was fine work done by everyone,” Kelley said.