'Are you an attorney?' 'No' may have saved woman

He only wanted to kill the lawyers.

And so when a rampaging Joe Jackson saw legal assistant Ruth Zak Leib on Friday afternoon, he asked her, "Are you an attorney?" a law enforcement source told the Chicago Sun-Times on Saturday.

"She said, 'No,' " the source said. That answer may have saved her life. Jackson shot Leib, 57, in the foot.

That was one of several new details that emerged a day after police say Jackson shot and killed three people -- including two attorneys -- on the 38th floor of a West Loop high-rise Friday afternoon. In the end, as Jackson clutched his revolver and a hostage, police fired, killing him.

Police Supt. Phil Cline told reporters Saturday at a community policing rally in Pullman that the first shot hit Jackson in the head and the second, while Jackson was still holding his gun, hit him in the chest.

"At this time, it does not appear he shot himself," Cline said, referring to suicide reports circulating Friday.

Sources told the Sun-Times on Friday that Jackson chose the offices of the Wood Phillips law firm because he thought attorney Michael R. McKenna had stolen his toilet seat invention.

"He told First District officers he felt he'd been cheated," Cline said, adding it will likely take time for investigators to sort out specifically why Jackson targeted McKenna.

Cline also gave more details about how Jackson managed to reach the law firm offices.

Jackson initially was told he did not have an appointment to go up to the law offices and was turned away, Cline said. Jackson returned, giving a note to a security guard, Cline said. Jackson pointed a manila envelope at the guard and said he had a gun. The guard escorted Jackson up to the 38th floor.

"Under the circumstances, the guard didn't have any choice," Cline said.

Once inside the offices, Jackson locked the door using a chain and padlock he had in the manila envelope, investigators say. He then demanded to see McKenna, a patent attorney. Jackson shot McKenna and Leib. He then walked down a hallway, where he killed attorney Allen J. Hoover, 65, and Paul Goodson, 78, a retired teacher who worked for the law firm, distributing mail and handling deliveries.

Jackson reloaded, grabbed a hostage and alternately pointed the gun at his head and the hostage's head.

Sharpshooters, who had sneaked into the office through a back door, opened fire. The hostage was unhurt.

Police said it wasn't clear Saturday why Jackson shot and killed Goodson, who was not an attorney.

"Three wonderful people, each of whom we counted both as colleagues and friends, were taken from us in a brutal and senseless attack," the firm said in a statement Saturday. "Our love and prayers go out to the families of each of our lost colleagues. We will fondly remember them always."

Mayor Daley, who accompanied Cline to Saturday's rally, said police handled the situation well.

"It's a very delicate situation, but they did a tremendous job -- very, very professionally," Daley said.

Contributing: Lisa Fedorowicz