Tulsa Police Use Pepper Balls To End Standoff In Mall Parking Lot

Tulsa Police said a man surrendered to officers after they used pepper balls to end an hour and a half standoff in the parking lot of Woodland Hills Mall early Friday.

Friday, November 14th 2014, 7:21 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa Police Use Pepper Balls To End Standoff In Mall Parking Lot

Tulsa Police said a man surrendered to officers after they used pepper balls to end an hour and a half standoff in the parking lot of Woodland Hills Mall early Friday.

Officers said a security guard noticed a man with a handgun on his lap sitting in a Dodge Charger parked on the west side of the mall next to Dillards at about 1:30 a.m. The security guard called for police.

Officers surrounded the car and knocked on the car's windows but got no response. Police said they secured the area and after about a hour, officers fired pepper balls at the car. Again, the man, identified as Stephen Scyffore, 23, of Tulsa did not respond to commands to exit the car.

After waiting 15 more minutes, officers fired pepper balls into the Dodge Charger. Police said that is when Scyffore, claiming he had been asleep, got out of the car and was arrested.

"When we got him out of the car, he didn't appear to be on any drugs or anything. Claims he was sleeping the whole time. Never heard the announcements," said Tulsa Police Cpl. Mike Hanley.

"This particular situation we used pepper balls which was very effective, non-lethal. Never got hit with a ball, just got the effects of the pepper itself, which again, that worked."

Police said Stephen Scyffore claimed he had fallen asleep waiting for his girlfriend to get off work at the mall.

Scyffore was booked into the Tulsa County jail on complaints of resisting arrest and possession of a firearm. Jail records show is being held in lieu of a $10,500 bond with a court appearance set for November 21, 2014.