Men Allegedly Posing As Metro Apartment Security Guards Accused Of Beating Resident

Two men claiming to be security guards for a metro apartment complex were accused of beating up a resident.

Police said 42-year-old Jeffrey Martin and Steven Ince, 35, were armed and one of them pointed a gun at the victim. The men were arrested last Thursday on complaints of assault and battery with a deadly weapon. They allegedly took matters into their own hands when the victim was trying to get into an apartment.

The call to the Falls Creek Apartments in northwest Oklahoma City initially came out as a man with a knife last week. Officers found Martin and Ince armed with guns and the victim holding a knife. 

“It got out of hand pretty quickly,” said Msgt. Gary Knight, Oklahoma City Police Department.

Police were told the victim was recently kicked out of his apartment by a relative.

“He had been in some type of domestic squabble with his sister,” said Knight. “She locked him out and he was trying to get back in the apartment when the security guards confronted him.”

According to an arrest affidavit, officers were told Martin and Ince were hired as security for the complex and carried guns. Police said the men confronted the victim with force.

“Both of them being armed took out guns and assaulted the man, pistol whipped him, and dragged him down a flight of stairs,” said Knight.

Officers said the victim had large knots on his forehead above an eye from the beatings. “They went too far with what they were doing,” said Knight.

Police say the men falsely identified themselves as property security. The manager of the property confirmed by phone to News 9 that Ince and Martin lived at the complex but were not security.

“They are not security guards by any shape or form,” said Falls Creek Apartment manager. “They do not get paid by me for doing security work.”

Officers arrested and disarmed Martin and Ince at the scene. “The victim, although he was beaten up is expected to be ok,” said Knight.

The victim told officers Martin pointed a gun at him. Police noted in an arrest affidavit that Martin told them, “I had to point my gun at him," but did not indicate why.

Police said the arrested men were not CLEET licensed. The suspects have not been formally charged by the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office.