Izzy's Bar Patron Wrestled Gun Away From Masked Man After Danny Rios' Murder: Witness

JOLIET, IL — Artis Henderson grew up on the South Side of Chicago. He graduated high school in Romeoville. He served in the Marine Corps and later moved to Long Beach, California where he worked as a bartender. By March of 2018, Henderson lived in Joliet at a house on Elizabeth Street. He was also inside Izzy's Bar when a gunshot rang out during the early morning hours of March 9, 2018.

That night, a Thursday, Henderson and his roommate Michael went over to Malnar's Tap. "We were just hanging out because his godfather passed away," Henderson testified on Wednesday morning during Patrick Gleason's first-degree murder trial in the death of Izzy's bartender Danny Rios III.

Henderson testified he and his roommate stayed at Malnar's for less than an hour. "Well, we left there to go to Izzy's to get some popcorn. I wanted some popcorn."

Henderson and his roommate were regulars at Izzy's Bar, where they knew Danny Rios, and they also knew that Izzy's had a popcorn machine.

"I got to know Danny," Henderson told the jury. "He was a bartender there."

When prosecutor Adam Capelli asked Henderson how often he patronized Izzy's Bar back around 2018, a huge grin came over Henderson's face.

"A lot," he smiled.

Henderson testified he and Michael arrived at Izzy's "after hours," in other words, sometime after midnight on Friday, March 9, 2018. Rios was tending bar as Henderson sat at the bar, enjoying his freshly made popcorn.

Izzy's Bar has a loud doorbell chime that alerts the bartender and other customers when someone has just entered the building.

Henderson remembered hearing the doorbell chime probably 10 minutes after he arrived there.

"I just saw someone come and pause before coming down the hallway," Henderson testified. "Everyone at the bar was looking ... to see who it is. And I was talking to Danny (about) why no one was coming in around the corner."

Prosecutor Adam Capelli asked Henderson to describe what he saw.

"It looked like they were fidgeting," Henderson testified. "It looked like something was wrong with (their) face. It seemed like at least over five minutes of them standing there."

Henderson recalled asking if Rios wanted him to go to the door to find out who the person was who entered the bar and why the person was just standing there.

"I asked Danny and he's like, 'No, that's my job,'" Henderson testified. "He gets out from behind the bar and goes out."

"What did you see happen?" Capelli inquired.

"I saw someone come from around the corner and I see him pull out a gun and shoot at Danny and seen him dropping down," Henderson told the jury. "I just saw him lift it up and Danny turned and fell down. I heard the gun go off."

After the gunshot went off, Henderson grabbed his coat and ran in the opposite direction of the shooter, but "the other guy proceeded to chase after me. It seemed like he had a mask on," Henderson told the jury. "He still has his gun out and trying to get a clear shot at me."

Henderson tried hiding underneath a table with a set of chairs.

"I'm trying not to be a sitting target, so I'm ducking and weaving behind the table. I saw a weapon at me. I saw the barrel aiming my way."

Finally, the former Marine saw an instant when he thought the shooter could be overtaken.

"I see the gun and proceed to grab that hand," Henderson told the jury. "I'm wrestling him down to the ground and as we're wrestling, he's putting the gun toward my head, the barrel, I'm pushing it back this way."

At that point, Henderson saw Izzy's son, Thomas, "trying to help us get the gun out, and he gets shot in the stomach as we're trying to get the gun out."

As more bar patrons intervened, Henderson managed to overpower the shooter.

"I picked up the gun. I kicked him a couple of times. He's still not trying to stop. My buddy is trying to subdue his lower half. I was telling him to 'stay down, just stay down.'"

Henderson then called 911 from the bar and waited for the Joliet's Police Department.

"I told them I'm the one who has the gun, so please don't shoot me," Henderson said he notified 911 dispatch.

When officers arrived, Henderson told them, "that's the guy who came in and shot people."

Capelli asked if Henderson actually saw the Joliet police put Gleason in handcuffs.

"I just saw he got dragged out on a stretcher."

Capelli asked Henderson to describe the Smith & Wesson handgun he confiscated from Gleason after the shootings of the bartender and the bar owner's son. "Like a semi(automatic)," he answered.

"Did you ever fire that gun that morning?" Capelli asked.

"No," Henderson told the jury.

Related:

• Joliet's Danny Rios Murder: 'He Just Said He Was Very Sorry, Something Bad Happened To My Brother'
• 7 Years Since Joliet Bartender Danny Rios' Murder
• Izzy's Murder Defendant Faces $10 Million Bail
• 'Hero' Sues Izzy's Murder Defendant Patrick Gleason
• Pat Gleason Drank 'Big Bottle Of Crown Royal' Before The Murder: JPD