NORMAN, Okla. — It appears the suspect in a Norman officer-involved shooting Sunday night was upset about the terrorist attacks in Paris.
Police were called to 47-year-old Mark Riedel’s home in the 1700 block of Classen Boulevard just after 5 p.m. Sunday evening.
Riedel had called 911 himself.
“I’m dealing with some severe mental illness,” he told the dispatcher.
He then says to ignore him and that he’s going to start shooting at cars.
He hangs up, but then calls back and identifies a more specific target.
“I’m going to go out there and just start shooting anything that looks like a Muslim after what they did to France,” said Riedel in the 911 call.
When police arrived at Riedel’s house, he stood in the open doorway with a gun in his hand.
Officers repeatedly told him to drop his weapon, but he refused to comply. That’s when officers opened fire, and disarmed him.
Local Muslims reacted with shock to the newly released 911 calls.
“When I heard that call, chills ran through my bones and I really felt the fear that, you know, somebody could be harmed,” said Adam Soltani, Executive Director of the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations.
He says while he’s not surprised by the backlash after the terror attacks in France, this was extreme.
“’I’ve received a few phone calls and e-mails since those the tragic incidences in Paris and Beirut. But to hear somebody say that I’m going to go kill a Muslim, it’s just terrifying,” said Soltani.
Riedel has no criminal history in Oklahoma.
He was transported to OU Medical Center where police say he is listed in stable condition.
The two Norman officers involved in the shooting have been placed on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.