Staff Report

ROCKFORD – A shooting inside a Machesney Park bar left one man dead and another wounded early Sunday. 

According to the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting occurred at approximately 1:30 a.m., after a fight broke out during a birthday party at Cronies Grill, 9032 N. Second St. When deputies arrived at the bar, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound lying on the dance floor. He died at a local hospital. Another man was treated for a gunshot wound to the arm.

The names of the victims have not been released. The sheriff has not announced whether a suspect has been identified, only that the shooting is an open homicide investigation. 

Anyone with information is asked to call the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office at 815-319-6000.