Hostage: I talked him out of killing me: WWII veteran tried to save lawyer, had 'long' talk with gunman

As attorney Michael R. McKenna lay bleeding on the floor of hisoffice Friday, his client Morris J. Danzig was hunched over McKenna,trying to save his life.

Danzig's own life hung in the balance, too. He was being heldhostage by Joe Jackson, the man who had just gone on a rampage inthe West Loop law firm. Jackson stood inches from Danzig for thebetter part of an hour, sometimes pointing the same gun at Danzig'shead that he'd already used to shoot four people, police said.

Danzig -- a spry, shrewd 81-year-old World War II veteran --tried to stop McKenna's bleeding by compressing the wound first witha handkerchief and later with a woman's white coat. He also tried tokeep Jackson talking in hope of preventing more bloodshed.

"He came behind me, and that's where the standoff was," Danzigsaid in a Sunday night interview with the Chicago Sun-Times at hisLincolnshire home. "He was right behind me, right next to me."

"I had a conversation with him -- a long one. He was going toshoot me, and I talked him out of it."

Danzig refused to elaborate about his conversation with Jackson,59, and declined to describe McKenna's wound or his last momentsalive.

"I prefer the less said, the easier it will be for his family. Itwas quite bloody. I don't want to go into detail."

However, Danzig offered an insider's perspective of what happenedFriday in the 38th-floor law offices of Wood Phillips, where McKennarented office space. Armed with a gun, knife and hammer, Jacksonstormed the law firm, killing three and wounding a fourth before aChicago SWAT officer shot him dead.

Danzig arrived at the law office about 1 p.m. to go over workMcKenna was doing on a patent Danzig shared with others. Most of thetime, Danzig was reading paperwork alone in a conference room nearthe front desk.

McKenna was back in the conference room with Danzig shortly after3 p.m. when McKenna was called out of the room by his assistant,Ruth Zak Leib. Moments later, Danzig heard a gun go off on the otherside of the wall.

"He got shot. I did not see it. I heard it. I stood up, and I sawhim on the floor."

Danzig's military instincts kicked in. In WWII, he was a U.S.Navy pharmacist mate, second class, attached to the 22nd Marines,First Battalion, C Company. He was severely wounded in the Pacificin 1945.

After seeing McKenna, Danzig got on the floor with his lawyer andimmediately began shouting for people to bring him towels oranything else he could use to stop the bleeding. All Danzig had onhim was a handkerchief.

"The next person I saw was a young lady who gave me her jacket,"Danzig said.

As Danzig was trying to help McKenna, he heard more shots.

"The shooting was quick. When I went to McKenna's aid, I heard atleast three other shots. Very shortly thereafter, Jackson was behindme."

Danzig praised Chicago Police, who he said were on the scenequickly. A negotiator was talking to Jackson, along with Danzig, forthe better part of the crisis.

Danzig said he was within a foot of Jackson when the SWATofficer's bullets pierced Jackson's face and chest. Then, "the SWATteam came in there instantly and pulled me out."

A retired corporate executive, Danzig downplayed his role in thestandoff.

"My sympathy goes out to [McKenna's family] and all of the othercasualties."