WHEATON, Ill. — A man was fatally shot in a confrontation outside a bar in unincorporated Wheaton on Friday morning. The incident occurred at Rosie O’Reilly’s Irish Pub & Grub on Gary Ave. The victim, a regular customer at the bar, was involved in an altercation over leftover pizza that escalated into a physical fight outside the establishment.
According to bar owner John Dwyer, the dispute started when three men offered their leftover pizza to other patrons, leading to a questionable argument. Dwyer said that the other three people involved were first-time customers. The argument then spilled outside, where the victim and three other individuals were captured on a cellphone video.
In the video, the victim and one of the men can be seen engaging in physical contact, alternately hugging and arguing. The video ended before the fatal shot was fired. Two shots are fired into the air by another man with a gun. Right after that, pub owner John Dwyer says the victim – who has not been officially identified yet – was shot in the head by one of the three patrons on the handicapped ramp.
The victim, who has not been officially identified, had been a regular at Rosie O’Reilly’s for the past two years. Described as a “nice guy” by pub general manager Theresa Dwyer, he leaves behind two children and a third on the way. “He talked about his family. Very proud,” Theresa Dwyer said. “Happy to have the children and the one on the way.”
Because of the shooting, Wheaton North High School was put on a soft lockdown as a precautionary measure following the shooting. Late Friday, the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office announced that the three men involved in the altercation, including the alleged shooter, were taken into custody. The incident remains under investigation.
It serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of life, even in a bar. The dispute that initially began over something as mundane as leftover pizza escalated into a deadly confrontation. As the investigation continues, investigators will seek to determine what led to the victim’s untimely death.