‘You have a right to defend yourself’: 7-Eleven clerk fired after shooting attacker okcfox ^ | November 19, 2025 | Robert Hagan Posted on by grundle OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. (KOKH) Stephanie Dilyard, a former 7-Eleven clerk, faced a terrifying ordeal when a man attempted to strangle her after she refused to accept a counterfeit $100 bill for purchases. The incident occurred just before midnight on Thursday. Dilyard recounted, “He threatened me, and said he was gonna slice my head off, and that’s when I tried to call the police. 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.” The suspect, identified as 59-year-old Kenneth Thompson, fled to MacArthur Blvd. and Northwest 34th St. and called 911. Police confirmed that Dilyard is protected under Oklahoma’s self-defense law. However, she was terminated by 7-Eleven on Monday for using her own gun. “They said that they were going to separate from employment because of a violation of policy,” Dilyard said. Dilyard, who had been working alone from 11 p. m. to 7 a. m. for over two years, still bore a scratch on her neck and burns on her finger from firing the pistol. Reflecting on the incident, she stated, “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. Just, I’m going, I’m going home, you know. I need to be here for my kids.” Thompson was arrested at the hospital and charged with assault and battery, threatening acts of violence, attempting to pass a fake bill, and a felony warrant for violating parole. Dilyard hopes her experience serves as a wake-up call to prevent other clerks, especially women, from being harmed. “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 said. Attempts to reach 7-Eleven for a statement on Dilyard’s firing and any changes to employee policy were unsuccessful. Dilyard started a GoFundMe to help raise money to support her family while she recovers and looks for another job. TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Miscellaneous; US: Oklahoma KEYWORDS: armedcitizen; rkba Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC PO Box 9771 Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. 7-11 is evil for doing this. 1 posted on by grundle To: grundle Re “. They said that they were going to separate from employment because of a violation of policy,” Dilyard said.” You’re alive. You can find another job. Meanwhile, sue them for penn they’re worth for putting your life in danger. You are your own first responder. The company doesn’t care whether you live or die. 2 posted on by NFHale (The Second Amendment By Any Means Necessary.) To: DaveLoneRanger; PROCON Ping. 3 posted on by lightman (Beat the Philly fraud machine the Amish did onest, ja? Nein, zweimal they did already!) Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4353505/posts