An incident at an eExpress convenience store in Oklahoma City led to the arrest of a man following a disturbing assault that resulted in a customer losing a fingertip. According to Oklahoma City Police, the altercation occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, near Reno Avenue and Villa Avenue, where officers were called to the scene after reports of a naked man running in the area who had bitten off a piece of a customer's finger. Officers arrived to find the suspect, identified as Manuel Lopez, lying naked on the ground, covered in blood, FOX 25 reported.
After surrounding Lopez to prevent his escape, witnesses described, how he jumped on the victim after being told to leave. The victim, while trying to push Lopez away, got his finger caught in Lopez's mouth, leading to a severe bite. There were observable bite marks on the victim's right index finger, and the tip from the top joint was missing, drenched in blood and allegedly swallowed by Lopez. "The man was unclothed during that altercation at some point. The suspect bit the victim’s finger off," Sgt. Dillon Quirk with OKCPD told KFOR.
In their report, KOCO 5 News revealed witnesses heard the victim's screams as Lopez bit and subsequently ingested the finger portion. Lopez, according to police reports, had blood around his mouth and was seen picking his teeth before wiping his finger on an officer's sleeve. This led to officers suspecting the presence of human tissue, an assumption supported by finding what seemed to be a piece of the victim's skin nearby.
During the investigation, Lopez admitted to using methamphetamine and "water," which police explained, is another term for PCP. He was arrested on suspicion of maiming, assault and battery, and public intoxication. "At some point, there was an unprovoked attack," MSgt. Dillon Quirk from the Oklahoma City Police Department stated, emphasizing the unprovoked nature of the attack. The victim also sustained a swollen area below his right eye, which was noted upon police arrival, as per KOCO.
As the investigation continues, authorities will likely seek to understand the involvement of drugs in this unruly act and assess the charges placed against Lopez. Meanwhile, the victim receives medical attention for the injuries sustained in this unforeseen assault.
