Oklahoma police said Saturday they interrogated Alton Alexander Nolen, the 30-year-old beheading suspect accused of brutally murdering a former co-worker and attacking another shortly after losing his job at a food processing plant in Moore, Okla.
Jeremy Lewis, a spokesperson for the Moore police department, said Nolen was shot inside the Vaughan Foods facility shortly after he attacked 54-year-old beheading victim Colleen Hufford and stabbing victim 43-year-old Traci Johnson. He regained consciousness in the hospital, where the police questioned him Saturday. Authorities have yet to reveal his comments, but he is expected to be moved to a jail next week.
A recent convert to Islam, according to a police report, Nolen appeared to have been trying to convert several other co-workers to his new religion as well.
Nolen’s maintained a Facebook page under the name of Jah’Keem Yisrael, according to police. It features photos displaying fighters with weapons, several messages written in all caps, but no explicit indications he was planning such an attack. Many of his posts include quotations from the Quran or pontifications about Islam.
One of the political messages features a photo of Batman’s Joker character, and reads (sic):
“AMERICA SO CALL HELPS IRAQ (WHICH NOT)- WELL WHY CANT U HELP THE GAZA CITIZENS AGAINST ISRAEL LOL..I UPLOAD THIS PIK BECAUSE AMERICA AND ISRAEL ARE WICKED. WAKE UP MUSLIMS!!!”
U.S. law enforcement officials say there is no indication Thursday’s attack has anything to do with terrorism or ISIS.
Authorities say Nolen assaulted the first person he encountered in the front office of the plant, his former work place. He allegedly severed Hufford’s head with a knife, then moved on to Johnson. His second victim survived the attack, was treated at a local hospital and was released Saturday, according to University of Oklahoma Medical Center — where she was treated for “numerous wounds.”
Lewis told reporters Nolen did not appear to be targeting any specific person with his attack.”It appears they were just in his way as he came in,” said the police spokesperson.
Mark Vaughan, a top executive at the food processing plant and reserve deputy with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, is crediting with taking Nolen down in the midst of his attack. Vaughan reportedly fired three shots at Nolen with a rifle.