Suspect Shot After Taking Neighbor Hostage

Tuesday, May 1st 2007, 7:53 am

By: News On 6

A hostage situation unfolded in the 4800 block of north Iroquois Tuesday. The suspect was holding his neighbor at gunpoint. He refused to drop his weapon and proceeded to drag the victim into his home. The News On 6's Carina Sonn reports that's when police opened fire.

Willie Craven lives in that north Tulsa neighborhood. He's friends with both of the men who were involved in Tuesday's hostage situation.

"I've seen them talk, pleasant all the time," said Craven "I've never seen them into it or nothing."

Nothing turned into something serious when police were called out a little before 8 Tuesday morning. Police found 74-year-old Floyd Henderson Junior holding a gun to his next door neighbor, 63-year-old Tikeeah Muhammad.

"Don't know exactly what the disturbance was over other than it was a disturbance between the neighbors and obviously it escalated to the point where the suspect introduced a gun into the situation," sad Tulsa Police Officer Jason Willingham.

Police ordered Henderson to let Muhammad go, but he refused. Instead, with a gun to his neighbors head, Henderson tried to drag the man inside his home. They were almost inside the door when police fired three times. An officer shot Henderson once in the arm while one bullet grazed his head.

Muhammad suffered minor injuries from shrapnel. Both men were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Police say they found two guns at the scene, a rifle and a revolver that they believe belonged to the suspect.

Craven says he's lived in the neighborhood for more than 30 years and never expected to see this kind of violence in his community or from people he's friends with.

"I hate to see it happen for the both of them because like I said both of them are friends of mine and it surprised me this happened because both of them stay to themselves," said Craven.

There was another officer involved shooting in that same block two weeks ago. In that incident, the victim was shot when he refused police orders and reached for what officers believed was a weapon.

Watch the video: Hostage Situation Ends In Shooting

Related stories:

4/23/2007 Officer Involved Shooting

4/23/2007 Police Shooting Investigation