Civilians Kill Gunman After 3 Shot At Oklahoma Restaurant
By SEAN MURPHY and KEN MILLER , Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Three people were shot and wounded at an Oklahoma City restaurant and one person was injured while fleeing before the gunman was shot dead by two armed citizens, police said Friday.
Police released a statement alleging that 28-year-old Alexander Tilghman opened fire inside Louie's On The Lake around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, wounding a 39-year-old woman and two juvenile girls. An unnamed man fell and broke his arm while fleeing.
Tilghman was then shot dead outside the restaurant by two citizens identified by police as Carlos Nazario and Bryan Wittle. A suspected motive for the shooting hasn't been released.
All four victims are reported in good condition, according to Oklahoma City police Capt. Bo Mathews.
Dennis Will said two of the shot victims are his daughter and granddaughter. Talking with reporters outside the hospital where the shooting victims were taken, Will said his daughter called him after the shooting and said they had been shot while entering the restaurant for a birthday dinner.
The Hal Smith Restaurant Group, which owns the restaurant, released a statement saying the restaurant will be closed Friday and counselors will be available to employees and customers.
"We will continue to support our guests and families in any way we can during this difficult time," the statement said. "We are extremely thankful the situation didn't escalate further, and that injuries were not more widespread. However, our hearts are with the wounded during this incident."
The statement referred other questions to police.
In April, a restaurant patron wrestled an assault-style rifle away from a gunman at a Waffle House in Nashville, Tennessee. Four people were killed in that shooting. Police have said there would have been far more casualties if it weren't for the patron's quick thinking.