A Thursday morning shift at a north Tulsa convenience store turned violent when, police say, a man walked in with a machete and attacked the clerk, who then shot him in the hip.
The suspect, identified by authorities as 61-year-old Donald Lockridge, was hit once and taken to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. The clerk, who owns the store, was struck during the struggle and called 911 after the shooting.
According to KOKH, officers were called around 8 a.m. to Naifeh's Food Mart in the 200 block of N. Mohawk Blvd, where they found Lockridge sitting outside with a gunshot wound to the hip. He was transported to a hospital, and authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
Channel 2 News KJRH reports that Lockridge first came into the shop looking for someone, then left and returned carrying a machete. The owner told the station the man got behind the counter and struck him in the shoulder before the clerk retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and shot the attacker in the hip.
Investigation and Possible Charges
Officials told KOKH that Lockridge is expected to be arrested on a complaint of assault with a deadly weapon as detectives continue to investigate. Police say the probe remains active and have not released additional details.
Recent Machete Incidents in Tulsa
Incidents involving large knives and machetes have surfaced around Tulsa in recent weeks. In May, a man allegedly attacked a shopper at the Tulsa Farmers' Market with a makeshift machete, and bystanders held the suspect until officers arrived, KRMG reported.
The Tulsa Police Department says the case remains under investigation and that questions remain about how the confrontation began. Officials did not immediately say whether charges had been formally filed.
