WHEATON, IL – In an unfortunate incident, a soon-to-be father of three was shot and killed during a brawl outside Rosie O’Reilly’s Irish Pub & Grub in unincorporated Wheaton on Friday morning. The disagreement that triggered the conflict was reportedly over leftover pizza.
Bar owner John Dwyer recounted the unusual circumstances that led to the fatal shooting, which began with three men in the bar offering their leftover pizza to others. Somehow, this sparked a heated argument that eventually spilled out of the establishment.
Cellphone footage reveals the victim and three other men engaged in a volatile altercation outside the pub. At first, the victim and one of the men appear to be playfully wrestling, their movements imitating the back-and-forth of a dance. However, the situation quickly escalated as one man brandished a gun and fired two rounds into the air. Moments later, the victim was shot in the head on the bar’s handicapped ramp, according to Dwyer.
The victim, a regular at Rosie O’Reilly’s for approximately two years, was known for his friendly demeanor. Theresa Dwyer, the pub’s general manager and John’s wife, recalled him as a proud family man who enjoyed mingling with customers. The victim is survived by two children, and his partner is currently expecting their third.
Following the incident, Wheaton North High School imposed a soft lockdown as a precautionary measure. As of late Friday, police reported the three men involved in the conflict, including the alleged shooter, were in custody. Both Dwyer and her husband confirmed that they had never seen the three men in the bar before. The investigation is being led by the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office.