National Guardsman Holds Tulsa Burglary Suspect At Gunpoint

An Oklahoma National Guardsman and Tulsa firefighter held a burglary suspect at gunpoint overnight until Tulsa Police could arrest him.

Tulsa firefighter Nate Morgans says he and his family - his wife and three kids - were asleep at 2:45 a.m. in their home near 101st and Mingo when they were awakened by their alarm and their dog.

Morgans, who served a tour in Afghanistan, said he heard his front door open. He grabbed his pistol and cleared the house then went looking for the burglar.

"I'm a veteran and you get that feel where you know that if you have to do something horrible to someone, you will. And it's kind of why I'm not going back to sleep. But your family is the absolute number one thing you have to protect," he said.

About 10 minutes later Morgans' wife called him to tell him the burglar was back. Morgans quickly drove home where he found the man rummaging through his city-owned truck.

"Rummaging through it. I had a gear bag that you take to work. He had my running shoes out, some other trash," Morgans said.

He pulled his gun and ordered the man to stop while his wife called 911.

Morgans said the man complied with his orders.

Police identify the suspect as 18-year-old Jonathan Parker. Morgans said, and the arrest report confirmed, that Parker lives just three doors down from the Morgans' house.

Regardless, he said crime can happen to anyone.

"That stuff happens. I mean nobody's immune from this type of activity. People need to understand that this kind of peril will come to you eventually, and you just need to be semi-prepared to do it," he said.

Parker is in the Tulsa county Jail, being held on several burglary complaints and public intoxication after police said he failed a field sobriety test.

Parker's bond has been set at over $25,000.