Woman knew 3 state troopers she shot in Lisle cigar lounge: police

A woman accused of shooting three Illinois State Troopers at a Lisle cigar lounge Friday night, killing one, was acquainted with them all and known to visit the shop at the same time as the slain cop, police said.

The woman, identified as 51-year-old Lisa V. McMullan, of the 1400 block of East 55th Place in Chicago, shot the state troopers shortly after 10 p.m. Friday at the Humidor, a cigar lounge located at 1600 Ogden Ave. in west suburban Lisle, according to Lisle police and the DuPage County coroner’s office. She then fatally shot herself.

Gregory Rieves, a 51-year-old retired state trooper with 22 years of experience, was killed and two other state troopers — one retired and the other off-duty — were wounded before McMullan turned the gun on herself, authorities said.

McMullan fired a total of seven shots, including the one she used to take her own life, police said.

Lisle police

Police said McMullan and the three troopers knew each other and that Rieves and McMullan were known to frequent the Humidor at the same time. The extent of their relationship is still under investigation.

Police initially reported that Rieves and McMullan both attended Proviso East High School in Maywood during the 1980s. But after investigators spoke to McMullan’s mother, police announced Sunday the alleged shooter actually went to the now-shuttered Cathedral High School on the Near North Side.

McMullan possessed a valid Firearm Owner Identification card and a concealed-carry license issued by state police and had no known criminal history, police said.

‘Dream job’

“[Rieves] was the most gentle, kind-hearted person that you could ever know,” said his long-time friend Keisha McKinnor, of Phoenix. “He is so loved and had endless love for others.”

McKinnor attended Proviso East with Rieves and the two had kept in touch since.

“Even back in school, his smile was infectious,” McKinnor said. “You just couldn’t help but smile back if you looked at him.”

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McKinnor described Rieves as a family man who loved sports, traveling and cigars. He also played in an adult softball league for fun.

“Occasionally, he’d be out in Arizona, so we’d meet up and talk about our families,” McKinnor said. “We both have boys around the same age. He loved his son so much.”

She said becoming a state trooper was his dream job. Rieves retired in March 2019 and planned to spend his time traveling to warmer weather and enjoying cigars.

“Greg wanted to serve his community, and he lived out his dream,” McKinnor said.

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The shooting

Authorities said that Rieves was sitting with the two other troopers in the cigar lounge’s media room watching a big-screen TV when McMullan stood up, drew a gun and shot him in the back of the head.

She then fired at the two other men, who were identified Saturday as 55-year-old Lloyd Graham, a retired special agent, and 48-year-old Kaiton Bullock, an active trooper who was off duty at the time of the shooting, authorities said.

McMullan died at the scene, police said. Rieves was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Graham and Bullock were also taken to hospitals, according to police. They are expected to recover.

“The Illinois State Police family have heavy hearts this morning. We are mourning the loss of a retired trooper, and praying for a full recovery of both our active and retired officers. Please keep all our officers and families in your prayers in the dark and painful moment,” state police Director Brendan F. Kelly said.

The cigar shop remained closed Saturday afternoon as people appeared to be replacing the carpeting inside the lounge. A woman inside declined to comment about the shooting.

Jake Wittich/Sun-Times

An employee at a neighboring business, who asked to remain anonymous, said the lounge is a common hangout for off-duty police officers.

“Our thoughts and deepest prayers to the victims and their families from last night’s tragic event,” the Humidor posted Saturday on Facebook. “Our hearts are shattered and we are at a loss for words.”

The cigar lounge will remain closed Sunday, but a group of its regular patrons were to hold a vigil for Rieves outside the business at 10 a.m.

The incident remains under investigation by Lisle police, the DuPage MERIT Major Crimes Task Force and the DuPage County coroner’s and state’s attorney’s offices.

Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.

Contributing: Luke Wilusz