Armed bystanders gunned down a shooter Thursday at an Oklahoma City restaurant, killing him, police said.
A man opened fire with a handgun in Louie’s Grill & Bar, striking three people inside the restaurant from a position outside the front door, Oklahoma City Police Capt. Bo Mathews told reporters.
As the gunman ran from the scene, two bystanders got their own handguns from the trunks of their vehicles, then confronted and fatally shot the attacker outside the restaurant, Mathews said Friday.
“They were able to shoot this suspect and put an end to this very dangerous situation,” Mathews said, adding that the men – Carlos Nazario, 35, and Bryan Wittle, 39 – did not know each other. It’s not clear who fired the fatal shot. Police initially said only one man fired on the attacker.
The bystanders’ actions were “well within their legal rights” and likely would be protected by good Samaritan laws, Mathews said. He deferred a final call to the Oklahoma County district attorney, whose staff did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.
“These guys were protecting somebody else’s life,” the police captain said. “You can say they are heroes.”
The attacker was identified by police as Alexander C. Tilghman, 28, of Oklahoma City.
“It doesn’t look like he knew anybody at the restaurant,” Mathews said, adding that Tilghman had no known history of mental illness and appears to have acted alone. The motive remains unknown.
The three who were wounded remain in good condition Friday, police said.
