Man Shoots Wife, Takes Son Hostage

CHICAGO — A man shot and wounded his wife and barricaded himself in his home with his 3-year-old son Thursday, then surrendered to police after a brief volley of gunfire, a police official said.

Mack Mulkey, 32, held his son in the three-story apartment building for four hours, police commander James Fruin said.

Fruin said Mulkey, also known as John Polache, shot his common-law wife during a domestic dispute.

Holly Potter, 29, was taken to Illinois Masonic Hospital with a wound to her left arm and was in good condition, Fruin said. Their son, Dillon Mulkey, was unharmed.

The incident began about 4:45 a.m., police said. Mulkey fired several shots at police surrounding the apartment building before he surrendered about 9 a.m. No one was hit by the gunfire.

Mulkey faces charges of aggravated burglary and aggravated assault, Fruin said.