An Oklahoma a 7-Eleven clerk named Stephanie Dilyard was fired for defending her life with a gun.
After 59-year-old Kenneth Thompson allegedly attacked Dilyard, she told KOKH-Fox 25: “This was a situation where I felt like I was put into a corner between choosing between my job, and my life, and I’m always going to choose my life because there’s people that depend on me … .”
Dilyard had worked at the 7-Eleven on a shift from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. for about two years. Then, at about 11:59 p.m. on November 13, according to local media reports, she refused to accept what she thinks was a counterfeit $100 bill for several items.
Thompson then allegedly became violent.
“He threatened me, and said he was gonna slice my head off, and that’s when I tried to call the police,” says Dilyard. “He started throwing things at me, came behind the counter. I tried to run off, but he grabbed his hands around my neck, and pushed me out of the counter space, and that’s when I pulled out my gun and I shot him.”
Thompson then left the store and made his way to an intersection in Oklahoma City, Okla., (MacArthur Blvd. and Northwest 34th St.) and he called 911.
Police arrived and Thompson was taken to a nearby hospital. He was later charged with assault and battery, threatening acts of violence, attempting to pass a fake (counterfeit) bill and a felony warrant for violating parole.
Oklahoma’s “Stand Your Ground” law legally protects individuals who use force in self-defense. According to local reports, police confirmed that Dilyard is protected under Oklahoma’s self-defense law.
Dilyard’s job, however, was not safe. She was fired by 7-Eleven for using a gun to defend herself. “They said that they were going to separate from employment because of a violation of policy,” said Dilyard.
Dilyard said that she hopes her ordeal will serve as a wake-up call for other clerks, especially women. People need to be prepared to defend themselves, just as she was. “If I’ve known that there’s a potential that somebody is for real on taking my life away that I will do whatever it takes, and I hope that women see that, and they’ll do the same thing. You have a right to defend yourself,” she told local media.
The corporate media contact for 7-Eleven was asked for comment, but the company has not yet responded. This article will be updated if or when they do.
