Family: Infection led to death of alleged courthouse shooter

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) -- The family of the man who allegedly shot a prosecutor and a Grand Marais man at the Cook County Courthouse last month says he died because a bacterial infection triggered a rare blood disorder.

The Duluth News Tribune reports that Daniel Schlienz's sister, Bev Wolke, says she got the information from St. Louis County Medical Examiner Thomas Uncini.

Uncini confirms he spoke with the family about the cause of death, but says he's unwilling to say more because he's awaiting one more test result before releasing a final autopsy report.

The family was initially told the 42-year-old Schlienz died Dec. 27 from DIC, an often-fatal disorder that causes excessive bleeding.

But there's always an underlying cause of DIC. Wolke says Uncini told her it was a common bacterial infection.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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