Lawyer shot in office during Loop burglary

A 41-year-old Loop lawyer who couldn't bring himself to shoot aburglar was disarmed and seriously wounded Friday morning in hisoffice.

Alan T. Schencker of Glencoe was shot twice in the back at 179W. Washington. He was in fair but stable condition at NorthwesternMemorial Hospital after undergoing surgery.

He told police he walked in on a burglary after leaving hisoffice suite briefly to get water to make coffee.

He said he confronted the burglar with a 9-mm. pistol kept inhis office, but couldn't bring himself to shoot the intruder, whodisarmed him in a struggle and shot him, said Area 1 detective Cmdr.Frederick Miller.

Police evacuated the building and conducted a three-hour searchwith police dogs of all 12 floors of the building, but the attackerhad escaped, said Central District Cmdr. Michael Malone.

Schencker told police he entered the building about 7 a.m., hisusual time, and left his office suite about 8 a.m. to get water tomake coffee. Police said he apparently left the door unlocked.

When he returned, he heard a noise and spotted several officemachines stacked up on a desk near the front door, Miller said.

Schencker stepped into his own nearby office and got his pistol,then confronted the burglar, Miller said.

After the shooting, the burglar fled, leaving the pistol behind,police said.

Schencker said he phoned police himself, then locked the door tothe suite because he feared the intruder might return, Malone said.The first officers to respond smashed open a window to gain entry.

Schencker described the intruder as a white man in his late 20sor early 30s with dark hair and wearing a white shirt and blue jeans.