Will County sheriff’s lieutenant will not be charged in fatal 2022 Romeoville shooting

A Will County sheriff’s lieutenant who is being sued over claims that he wrongfully killed a hostage taker in 2022 at a Romeoville bank will face no charges over the incident.

A special grand jury in Will County found “probable cause of a criminal offense” was lacking for the actions of Lt. John Allen, who fatally shot Gregory Walker, 65, of Crest Hill, according to a court filing from Peter Wilkes, chief of the criminal division at Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow’s Office.

With some of the fatal police shootings in the past, Glasgow would decide whether they were justified. But in this case, the decision was left to a special grand jury.

The reasoning behind grand jury’s decision was not immediately clear on Monday. Wilkes has not yet responded to a message with questions from The Herald-News.

A motion from Wilkes on Monday described the jurors hearing from 27 witnesses and considering more than 100 exhibits. The jurors even heard testimony from a professor of physiology.

One of those witnesses was Allen himself, according to his attorney, Jeff Tomczak.

Tomczak said Allen voluntarily testified before the grand jury for six to seven hours, answered every question and Allen has cooperated with the investigation from the beginning.

“I will say Lt. Allen is one of more remorseful clients I ever represented in my years,” Tomczak said.

Tomczak said he doesn’t “believe there’s any winners in this case whatsoever.”

“The gun discharged, as far as [Allen] knew, improperly. That’s all he could tell anybody,” Tomczak said.

At two years and eight months, the investigation of Walker’s shooting has lasted the longest out of at least 18 cases involving a police shooting since 2019 in Will County.

The shooting also represents yet another case where an officer in Will County will face no charges in connection with a fatal shooting.

The shooting took place on May 10, 2022, at the entrance of Fifth Third Bank in Romeoville.

A video released by the Illinois State Police on Monday shows events leading up to the shooting. [Warning: Content my be disturbing to viewers]

The video shows Walker placing what looks like a revolver on one of the chairs used to barricade the entrance of the bank.

The video shows Walker opening a door into the vestibule that leads to the entrance of the bank. He walks into the vestibule and places his hands on his head while kneeling.

Walker then gets up, walks to the entrance and opens the door as seen on the video. At that point, the video shows Walker is struck by a bullet and he topples over as the glass door shatters into pieces.

The video shows Walker writhes in pain on the ground as SWAT members storm the vestibule. A few of them provide Walker medical assistance.

The internal affairs investigation of Allen has not started since the day Walker was shot because the Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley’s Office has not received the reports from the investigation, according to Will County Deputy Chief Dan Jungles.

Last year, Jungles said the sheriff’s office “requested those documents to begin our internal investigation” to Glasgow’s office but they were told they would not receive them “until there’s a ruling on the case.”

In 2023, Brenda Nash-Milton, Walker’s sister, filed a lawsuit that claimed Allen wrongfully shot Walker in the chest when he released the hostages and left the building unarmed with his hands in the air.

Nash-Milton’s lawsuit claimed Allen knew Walker was following “law enforcement commands” and was unarmed when he agreed to exit the bank.

Grand jury investigation

Between Oct. 31, 2024 and Friday, a special grand jury in Will County heard evidence presented by prosecutors, according to a motion from Wilkes, to “disclose certain matters regarding a grand jury investigation.”

That evidence included 27 witnesses, such as officers, civilians, “retained” firearm experts from the “private sector,” the FBI and a “retained professor of physiology,” Wilkes’ motion said.

They were “all flown in from various parts” of the U.S., Wilkes’ motion said. More than 100 exhibits were also “presented and considered by the grand jury,” the motion said.

Other evidence included four expert reports, rifle data book entries “of the sniper assigned to the rifle used in the shooting,” and certifications of completion “regarding the sniper’s weapons training,” Wilkes motion said.

On Jan. 16, the grand jury examined evidence and exhibits presented to them, Wilkes’ motion said.

The grand jury was also provided a “legal memorandum” prepared by prosecutors discussing the role of the grand jury, the role of prosecutors and the legal definition of recklessness, negligence and intentional acts, Wilkes’ motion said.

The grand jury was provided the Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions for the offense of involuntary manslaughter, Wilkes’ motion said.

“Prosecutors were summoned back to speak to the grand jurors. It was at this time [Glasgow’s office] was advised by the grand jury the actions of the sniper involved in the shooting of Gregory Walker were negligent as the gun was discharged,” Wilkes’ motion said.

A short break was taken to “discuss the findings” of the grand jury, the motion said.

As a result of the grand jury’s findings, prosecutors presented a “written memorandum” regarding how Allen will face no charges in the incident, Wilkes’ motion said.

Hostage describes incident

In 2022, The Herald-News interviewed Sandra Mendoza, one of the hostages at the bank.

Mendoza said she heard three gunshots and a man later identified as Walker yelled at those inside the building to bring out chairs so he could barricade the door.

Mendoza said the patrons and bank employees were crying and some were “getting hysterical.”

She said Walker directed the hostages to call law enforcement to respond to the bank. Mendoza said she was one of the individuals who tried to call police. She said she thought it would be better to comply with Walker’s demands.

“We did not know what his intentions were,” Mendoza said in 2022. “Obviously, we thought it was a robbery.”

Mendoza said Walker eventually became calmer and tried to reassure the hostages that he was not there to hurt them.

Mendoza showed The Herald-News a video that showed Walker stepped away from the phone near the building entrance, holding his weapon, and walked toward a nearby counter.

“You’re going to be alright ma’am. Stop crying, OK?” the video shows him saying. “You have my word. You will walk out of here. I promise you.”

Mendoza said Walker described difficult events in his life, including the passing of his mother. She said Walker explicitly said he wished to die that day.