Assault Victim Describes Attack That Ended In Tulsa Police Shooting

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- After a terrifying ordeal, a Tulsa woman says she would not be alive to share her story had it not been for the brave actions of two Tulsa Police officers.

Grace says they had no choice but to kill her ex-boyfriend. She believes they were sent by God to save her life and wants to thank them.

This is the first time Grace has been back to her home since last Friday when her ex-boyfriend Nate Rowe kicked in her front door, talking crazy and attacking her. They had broken up last fall. She says Nate struggled with drugs and rage and wasn't himself.

His problems had gotten worse after his father died, and his whole family had tried to get him help.

"The man that kicked that door in - the shell was Nate; the mind wasn't," said Grace, an assault victim. "If those police officers had not been here, I wouldn't have been here to tell you this story."

2/26/2010 Related Story: Tulsa Police Officer Shoots, Kills Domestic Violence Suspect

Grace's son called 911, and two officers arrived. One took Grace to a back room for safety while the other talked to Nate.

She says Nate had told her he'd kill her, her son and the police if they showed up.

"He had no intention of letting me live," Grace said.

She says she heard the talking turn to yelling, and then could tell it turned into a fight. The officer tending to her then raced into her living room.

"They were verbally trying to command him, you could hear them, ‘stop, sit down, don't do this,' this and that. I heard a shot. There was so much verbal stuff going on, I thought he got their gun; I was so worried," assault victim Grace said, in tears.

"They were trying to talk to him, rationalize with him and get him in a controllable situation, but it was not gonna go that way," Grace said. "He had said he wasn't going back to jail."

She thought he was coming for her next, but soon learned - she was safe, and one officer had killed Nate because he was pulling out the other officer's gun.

She firmly believes they had no other choice and was distressed when she heard the officers were suspended.

3/1/2010 Related Story: Tulsa Police Officers, Victim Identified In Fatal Shooting

"They should be giving them medals and honoring them for saving somebody's life," she said.

The News On 6 told Grace the suspension was with pay and routine until the criminal and department investigations were complete.

Nate Rowe served time in 2004 for a stolen car and had other brushes with the law, including current charges of assault after he attacked his brother with a shovel.

Grace doesn't want him portrayed as a monster, but as a man who lost his way to drugs and rage. She hopes the officers will be cleared soon and wants to thank them in person for saving her.