Prosecutors Say Murder Suspect Targeted Victims Because They Were White

Tulsa County prosecutors charged the man accused of murdering two innocent victims, with a hate crime.

Carlton Gilford shot and killed Lundin Hathcock at the Rudisill Library and James McDaniel at a QuikTrip minutes later, police said.

District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said based on the evidence, they believe Gilford shot both men because they were white.

Oklahoma's hate crime is called malicious intimidation or harassment and it's a misdemeanor.

"The information suggests that race played a role in it and I feel like that is something we can prove, and it is something that a judge or jury obviously needs to listen to. So we will present that information along with everything else,” said Kunzweiler.

Gilford is charged with two counts of first degree murder for killing Hathcock and McDaniel and two counts of shooting with intent to kill for shooting at two QT employees, who were not hurt.

Investigators said Gilford shot both men in the head from behind. They said Gilford continued to shoot McDaniel after he was already on the ground and even reloaded his gun and shot McDaniel in the head again.

Gilford is being held without bond in the Tulsa County Jail and prosecutors said that's needed in order to keep people safe.

"Whenever you are talking about the dynamic where the safety of the public is at risk, in my mind, somebody who is killing somebody or doing harm toward somebody who they don't know, that really amps things up,” said Kunzweiler.

Prosecutors haven't released any details about why they believe this was a hate crime. That information will come out later during the court process.

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