DEL CITY, Okla. – Family members are remembering the man who was shot and killed by a homeowner on Saturday.
Police said 36-year-old Gary Dewayne Hooks was shot and killed after he went into another man’s home in the 4400 block of S.E. 37th.
Gary’s mother said he was a hard worker and a father to nine children.
She said he had been to a family member’s funeral earlier in the day and was intoxicated afterwards.
The last time she saw her son, his wife was by his side.
“She says ‘I got him,’” Tongia Hooks told us. “I said ‘Okay, good. I’m going to beat his butt for that. He knows better.’”
Police said, at some point that night, the couple parked on the street when visiting a friend’s house.
Investigators believe Gary’s wife went into a friend’s house but he stayed behind in the truck to rest.
“When she came out to leave, she seen all the police and ambulance cars and Gary was not in the truck. She said something bad did happen,” Tongia said.
Police said Gary got out of the truck and went into another house belonging to a man they don’t believe he knew.
Investigators said he aggressively approached the homeowner and was shot.
“An individual came through the door and aggressively came towards him,” said Major Jody Suite with the Del City Police Department. “At that time, the homeowner produced a firearm and shot that individual.”
Tongia remembers going to the scene.
“I tried to ask the police ‘Was that my son in the ambulance?’ I could see them pressing on his chest. They wouldn’t answer me. They ignored me,” she said.
Her biggest question is for the man who shot her son.
She wants to know why he didn’t wait for police.
“He’s in a blackout, and you told the police that this boy was so drunk, you seen it, he’s in a straight blackout and you going to shoot him?” Tongia said. “Well, you shot him. So, why’d you shoot him two times? Why didn’t you stop? Why didn’t you stop?”
Police haven’t released the name of the homeowner, because the investigation is ongoing.
They are also waiting to see if the district attorney will press any charges.
