Police were investigating on Friday after a man was shot and killed during an altercation with a fellow customer at a Wheaton bar, according to authorities. NBC 5’s Patrick Fazio reports.
Note: The video in the player above is from a previous report.
Prosecutors have revealed new details behind what they say happened in the moments leading up to a deadly shooting in a Wheaton bar just before the Christmas holiday.
Michael Freund, 49, of Aurora, faces one count of first-degree murder in the killing of Dexter Perkins at Rosie O'Reilly's Bar last week. He was denied pre-trial release in court.
The shooting was reported at around 8:45 a.m. Friday at the bar, located at 0N131 Gary Ave.
The bar's owners said the argument started over leftover pizza between the victim — a regular — and three first-time customers.
"One minute they’re hugging, next minute they’re arguing and then the guy went to get his gun," owner John Dwyer said.
The argument then spilled out onto the front deck where shots were fired. Rosie O'Reilly's owners showed NBC Chicago footage recorded by another bar patron that showed one man pulling out a gun and firing two shots into the air.
Prosecutors said "a brief scuffle ensued on the outside front porch of the bar between Perkins, Freund and two other men, which ultimately resulted in Freund pulling out a 9 mm Glock handgun from his jacket pocket and firing two warning shots into the air."
"It is further alleged that after Freund fired the warning shots, Perkins approached the other man at which time Freund, who was standing on the other side of a wooden railing, fired at him, striking him in the torso and in the face. It is alleged that after the shooting, Freund placed the Glock, which had been fired a total of eleven times, in the center console of his truck where it was ultimately found by law enforcement,'' a release from DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick stated.
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The video ended before the fatal shot was fired. DuPage County officials confirmed the victim to be Dexter Perkins, whose age was not released.
"He was just, you know, a nice guy," owner Theresa Dwyer said. "Come in and visit with people. Sometimes there was, you know, teasing back and forth and stuff. But life is life.”
The Dwyers said the suspected gunman stayed at his pickup truck until police responded to the scene.
"I've always said this could happen anywhere, anytime, for the smallest of reasons and this is a prime example," John Dwyer said.
"Dexter Perkins lost his life allegedly over a dispute regarding pizza and a bar tab,” Berlin said in a statement. “For this senseless act of violence that resulted in the death of an innocent man, Mr. Freund now finds himself facing first degree murder charges. I offer my sincere condolences to Dexter’s family and friends and wish them strength as they are now forced to continue their lives without the love and friendship they enjoyed with Dexter."
