Armed citizen who shot Oklahoma gunman told worried crowd, 'I'm here to help'

Christal Hayes | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Police ID gunman killed at Oklahoma restaurant Police have identified a gunman who they say opened fire inside an Oklahoma City restaurant during the dinner rush, wounding a woman and two girls before two armed citizens shot him dead outside. (May 25)

Before bullets started flying at an Oklahoma City bar and grill, Bryan Whittle and Juan Carlos Nazario didn't know each other. But they knew what to do: Stop a gunman before someone dies.

The two, police say, prevented what could have been a deadly attack Thursday night after they armed themselves and took down the shooter, Alexander Tilghman. Both say they don't feel like heroes.

Nazario, a security guard and former small-town cop, stopped by the pier at Louie's Grill & Bar Thursday after work when he heard five or six gunshots.

"I looked over and everyone was running from the back restaurant," he told USA TODAY. That's when he grabbed his gun and holster from his vehicle and ran toward the sounds.

Inside the busy lakeside restaurant, tables were knocked over, a glass door was shot out and people were hiding in fear. Nazario, a 35-year-old father of two, scanned for the gunman.

"I saw people who were wounded and could just see the worry in their eyes," he said. "I told them I was looking for the gunman and I'm here to help."

After shooting three people inside the restaurant, an attack that police so-far believe was random, Tilghman walked into the parking lot. That's where Nazario found him.

"Drop the gun!" he yelled repeatedly. Tilghman didn't respond. He raised the gun again and fired a round in the parking lot.

Nazario fired two shots. "He just fell to the ground."

Despite a restaurant full of innocent lives potentially saved, Nazario said he doesn't feel like a hero.

"I just can't understand being called a hero when someone's life was taken," he said. "I just did what I had to do. I'm very glad no innocent lives were taken but ultimately, there was a life taken."

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"I'm just glad I was there," Nazario continued. "I don't know what could have happened if I hadn't been there."

He exchanged phone numbers with Whittle, the other man who police say pulled a handgun from his vehicle during the incident.

Whittle, who also went to his vehicle to get a handgun to confront the shooter, and Nazario didn't cross paths during the chaos, something Nazario said could have added a layer of confusion to the incident.

Whittle, 39, also felt his bravery wasn't anything "special."

"I just did what needed to be done to stop the threat. Nothing special," he told USA TODAY. "A lot of people would have done the same given the situation."

It's unclear exactly what role Whittle had in taking out the gunman or whether he was eating at the restaurant when the shooting broke out.

Whittle’s family told ABC News that he has been in the National Guard for two decades and had previously served in Afghanistan.

Nazario said he and Whittle exchanged numbers and talked about what happened. He hopes they can meet again soon.

Even though the two don't feel like heroes necessarily, many, including their families say there's no doubt their actions were noble and saved lives.

Nazario's step-mother, Noemi Nazario, said she's proud of him and noted he'd been trying to become an officer for the Oklahoma City Police Department. "Maybe this will end up leading to a job," she quipped.

"I know my kids are courageous but you never think one of them would have to make a choice like that and be in that type of situation," Noemi Nazario said. "I was scared. I almost had a heart attack."

His sister, Amy Younger, said she was shocked and worried about him because shooting another person is "traumatic and not like what you see in the movies."

"My brother is a wonderful, wonderful person and I know he didn't want to do that. He had to," she said. "I love him so much. He means the world to me. I'm just glad he's OK and I'm so proud of his bravery."

Follow Christal Hayes on Twitter: Journo_Christal