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Apr 03, 2024

Bloomington Subway employee charged with attempted murder

Next up in 5 Example video title will go here for this video BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — A Bloomington Subway employee is charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting a customer outside the

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — A Bloomington Subway employee is charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting a customer outside the restaurant July 15.

According to court documents, police were called to the Subway restaurant in the 1800 block of North Kinser Pike, near State Road 45 and North Walnut Street, around 1:30 a.m.

Officers said 51-year-old J.D. Dyer Jr. was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Police said the Subway worker, 22-year-old Sean Rivers, had fled to his home, where police took him in to custody.

Rivers allegedly told officers that J.D. had parked his truck in front of the restaurant, and Rivers asked J.D. to move it. Rivers claims J.D. told him to mind his business, that Rivers wasn't the police, and the two began to argue.

"And he had walked in and I guess the employee didn't really like where he parked at," said Joslyn Dyer, J.D.'s daughter.

J.D. went back out to his truck on the side of the building, while Rivers said he went and got his backpack with his gun in it.

According to court documents, Rivers said he then went back outside and continued to argue with J.D. and claimed J.D. grabbed his arm, so he shot him. Rivers then allegedly said he went into the restaurant to get his phone and other belongings and ran to his home in the 500 block of West Northlane Drive, about a half-mile from the Subway restaurant. Police claim they found Rivers' gun hidden behind his washing machine.

According to the court documents, Rivers told police he thought the shooting was self-defense because J.D. grabbed his arm.

Police interviewed another worker at Subway, who claimed Rivers had threatened J.D. several times during the argument, saying at one point: "I'll have you 86ed." The worker said J.D. was leaving when Rivers followed him out to continue the argument. The worker also said J.D. never threatened Rivers, according to court documents.

Rivers is facing a charge of attempted murder. His trial is currently set for October.

After three surgeries, time on a ventilator and nine days in the hospital, doctors said J.D. is making a remarkable recovery. His daughter said he's a fighter who nearly died just trying to pick up food for his family.

"Yeah, he is truly a miracle," Joslyn said. "He's probably the toughest person I know."

Police said a stranger stepped in to make sure J.D. survived after the shooting. Someone gave first aid until medics arrived, and the Dyer family would love to connect with that person who kept him alive.

"He had told him he needed to turn over, but he was mad at the person at the time because he didn't know who it was and said it was just really hard when he laid on his back to breathe. The guy who helped him said, 'You know what, I'm saving your life and that's what you're going to have to do until the ambulance gets here.' We definitely would like to thank whoever that was that tried to save him," Joslyn said. "Pretty much as soon as my dad woke up, that was all he was talking about, was wanting to meet whoever it was that helped him."

The family said they're also grateful for the financial support and prayers from the Bloomington community, during J.D.'s recovery.

He hopes to get out of the hospital in the next week.