TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin sat down with 2 News Anchor Sharon Phillips to discuss what investigators know about the suspected gunman in the deadly shooting of two people in north Tulsa on Tuesday.
Police released the names of the victims earlier on Wednesday.
Police say the suspected gunman, 61-year-old Carlton Gilford, is recovering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a hospital and is no longer critical.
“He did at some point attempt to shoot himself. We are thinking that may have occurred between the two shootings. From the video that we are seeing it looks like it may have happened in between the two shootings,” said Chief Wendell Franklin.
Shortly after 9:30 on Tuesday morning -- officers responded to the Rudisill Library on North Hartford and the QuikTrip at Pine and Peoria.
Police say Gilford went to the library and shot and killed Lundin Hathcock while he sat at a desk.
Then officers say Gilford went to the nearby QuikTrip and shot James McDaniel in the head.
Carol Starks told 2 News Oklahoma she was sitting on the corner at the time when the second shooting took place.
“I heard pop, pop and saw people coming out of the QuikTrip. They were scared to death I guess because the shooter just shot the guy in the back of the head in there and didn't know if he was going to shoot at them either,” she said.
Steven Nelson was going to QuikTrip to get gas and was stunned to see the store surrounded by police.
“Everybody was standing back and there were police surrounding the building and at least one of them had a riot shield. The other one had a rifle in hand, and I assumed there was somebody still in the building armed and dangerous just from the way it looked,” he said.
As police work to understand a motive they are piecing together more about the suspect.
"He's estranged from his family but was a functioning individual within our society. He lived by himself and yes, we have executed search warrants on his residence,” said Franklin.
Tulsa police are working with the ATF to trace the weapon.
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