Overview
- Deputies forced entry to an Oklahoma City apartment and encountered a resident who sprayed aerosol and ignited it, creating a makeshift flamethrower aimed at officers.
- The eviction, which took place on Aug. 11, escalated when deputies discovered a car battery with wires and rows of aerosol cans taped together that resembled improvised explosive devices.
- Officials evacuated the building and summoned the Oklahoma County bomb squad and TACT team, who rendered the devices safe and removed them from the unit.
- The resident was detained, taken to a Veterans Affairs hospital for medical and stress-related evaluation, later admitted to a mental health facility, and now faces out-of-custody charges including aggravated assault and using an incendiary device.
- Sheriff Tommie Johnson III said the constructions were crudely made but showed apparent intent to harm, and the incident highlights the acute safety risks officers and residents face during contested evictions.