Scott Farrow, 51, told police he was sleeping at home on his couch in the 7900 block of West 131st Street in Palos Heights when he heard someone force his back door open just after 3:45 a.m. Tuesday.
Farrow was confronted by two African American men he said to be 20-30 years old, according to a statement from the Palos Heights Police Department. The victim said one of the suspects hit him on the head with a "blunt" object and demanded money.
When he refused, Farrow was shot once in the stomach. The suspects fled west on foot, toward and 131st Street and 80th Avenue, according to the statement. Police said they found footprints in the snow.
Farrow was able to get to his next-door neighbors' house after he was shot. Vicki Finegan and her husband are both former Marines.
"With brute force, he hit my front door," Finegan said. "He only started fading within 5-10 minutes. The adrenaline must have got to him."
Finegan called 911, while her husband did triage on Farrow.
"My husband was keeping him up, holding the pressure down," Vicki Finegan said. "We were trying to keep him conscious to talk to 911."
"They were assisting, stabilizing him before the paramedics got there," Palos Heights Police Deputy Chief Doug Delaney said. "Lucky for us and lucky for him, to have them there."
Farrow was able to tell authorities he won a large amount of cash at a riverboat casino Monday night. They believe he may have been targeted because of his winnings.
Farrow was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in stable condition. He underwent surgery and is now listed in serious condition, recovering from the gunshot wound and head trauma.
Police say this incident should serve as a warning to anyone leaving a casino with winnings. They say winners should make sure they are not being followed. Police say if they have any concerns, pull into the nearest police station.
Palos Heights police are searching for suspects, investigating the home invasion with robbery as a possible motive.
