A murder suspect accused of shooting two white men was recently charged with a hate crime as officials said that "race" may have played a role in the shooting.
"The allegation in this charge is that race or color played a role in these shootings," Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler told Newsweek in a statement. "Based upon the investigation, we have reason to believe that race played a role in the homicides. That evidence will be presented in front of a judge or jury. Mr. Gilford has the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a judge or jury."
"SUSPECT CHARGED WITH HATE CRIME," the Tulsa Police Department in Oklahoma said in a Facebook post this week. "Tulsa County District Attorney's Office charge Murder suspect, Carlton Gilford, with Hate Crime. Two weeks ago we arrested Gilford after he shot 2 people in the back of the head, one at Rudisil Library and the other at QuikTrip. At this time, there does not appear to have been any connection between the victims and the suspect."
SUSPECT CHARGED WITH HATE CRIMETulsa County District Attorney's Office charge Murder suspect, Carlton Gilford, with Hate Crime.Two weeks ago we arrested Gilford after he shot 2 people in the...
The announcement of the hate crime charges comes a few days after the Tulsa Police Department arrested Gilford, who is accused of fatally shooting two white men in two separate incidents in April.
On April 24, the Tulsa Police Department said that Gilford, 61, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder in the first degree and two counts of shooting with the intent to kill. However, prosecutors later added the hate crime charges and Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler told KOTV-DT in Oklahoma that evidence suggests Gilford shot both of the men because they were white.
"The information suggests that race played a role in it and I feel like that is something we can prove, and it is something that a judge or jury obviously needs to listen to. So we will present that information along with everything else," Kunzweiler told the local news station.
According to police, the two shootings happened on April 18, with the first occurring at around 9:40 a.m. local time at the Rudisill Library at 1520 N. Hartford.
"Through the investigation, Homicide Detectives learned Carlton Gilford first went to the library. Inside the library, he walked up behind a man sitting at a desk and shot him in the back of his head," police said.
Police said that the first victim, identified as 35-year-old Lundin Hathcock, was taken to a nearby hospital after the shooting but was pronounced deceased while there.
"Following the shooting at the library, Gilford went to the Quiktrip. Inside the store, Gilford again shot a male in the back of the head. When that victim fell to the ground, the suspect shot him again," the Tulsa Police Department said.
The second suspect, identified as 55-year-old James McDaniel, was pronounced dead on scene, police said.
When officers arrived on scene, Gilford confirmed to them that he had shot two people.
Newsweek reached out to the Tulsa Police Department via email for comment.
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