Slo Ride Shooter Was Returning From A Tulsa Hospital Before Incident

By Tara Vreeland, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa Police say one of the city's most recent homicides was not caused by road rage, but instead may have been in self defense.

Police officers responded to a call at the Slo Ride Saloon near 41st & Peoria at 8:30 Friday night.

When police were called, it was the second time that day that paramedics had been out to the Slo Ride Saloon.

01/23/2010 Related story: Tulsa Police Reveal Details Of Slo Ride Saloon Homicide

Earlier in the day, a bar regular had a stroke in the back parking lot and that is where the story begins.

Friends say Daniel Kitchens was not riding his Harley to the Slo Ride Saloon to relax on a Friday night.

48-year-old kitchens and his girlfriend were riding to the bar from the hospital after checking on a friend who had a stroke.

Halle Headrick, Slo Ride Saloon Bartender said, "Dan was trying to get here just to tell us and give us information about Gator that was his mindset."

However, on the way, police say Kitchens was heckled by two men, Christopher Conrad and Chester Shadwick, whom were in a pick-up truck and followed him to the bar.

"There is not a traffic situation that would characterize a road rage. It was just somebody wanting to confront and harass somebody because they were riding a Harley down the street," said Sgt. Mike Huff, Tulsa Police Department.

Police say Conrad and Shadwick attacked Kitchens. While the assault continued, Kitchens, who police say has a valid conceal carry permit, shot Conrad once.

"The one guy was still on top of Dan behind him, had him choked down on the ground and a friend of ours grabbed that guy, pulled him off of him," said Allen Million, Slo Ride Saloon Patron & Witness.

"Dan was white as a ghost. His face was swollen. His lips busted. Just in shock," Headrick said.

EMSA pronounced Conrad dead at the scene. Police arrested Shadwick for public intoxication.

Kitchen's was released and his friends say the shooting was in self-defense.

"Dan's easy going, big-ole bear, I mean he hasn't ever been in no problems. He had had a hard day already with his buddy having a stroke. He's never done anything, just a good-ole guy," Million said.

Police are reviewing surveillance video and are continuing the investigation to determine if the shooting was in fact in self defense.

Gator, the man who had the stroke, died Sunday.