A man was arrested after stabbing a school employee with a sword and making threats at a grocery store.
On Wednesday around 4:00 p.m., officers were called out to a stabbing at the Holy Family Cathedral Church in downtown Tulsa near 8th and Boulder.
Witnesses on the scene said they were taking photos of children who attend school there in front of the church when a man, later identified as Daniel Edwards, approached them and speaking erratically and making threats about the children.
A witness said Edwards told her she needed to run away as fast as she could. The witness notified another school employee who went after Edwards.
Daniel Edwards pulled out a sword and slashed the employee in one of his hands. The employee managed to get away from Edwards, and school administrators locked the school down and got the children to safety.
In the news: DOJ Charges 11 Pro-Life Activists For Blocking Abortion Clinic
Witnesses saw Edwards open a red cooler and pull out a jar appearing to be a Molotov Cocktail. Edwards threw it against the side of the church and the jar burst into flames, then he threw a second one.
When Officers arrived, Edwards had already fled the scene. Officers quickly reviewed surveillance video and began a citywide search for the suspect.
“Tulsa Police Department officers responded to a downtown church building around 4 p.m. after a man attacked a building employee with a sword, detonated incendiary devices, and attempted to set the building on fire,” Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin wrote in a statement on Twitter. “There were children at the scene, all of whom were unharmed.”
Just about an hour later, Officers responded to a bomb threat at a grocery store at 71st and Sheridan. Daniel Edwards made a threat at the store saying he had something worse than a bomb, and he was also carrying a bible.
Officers quickly arrived and confronted the suspect near the registers at the store. Several commands were given by officers and the suspect failed to comply with any of them. An Officer utilized his Taser to gain control over the suspect so he could be taken into custody.
Officers confirmed Edwards was the same man from the downtown church incident. His vehicle was in the parking lot, and Officers recovered a sword in the backseat.
This was a cooperative effort by our field Officers and our federal law enforcement partners.
Edwards is currently in the Tulsa County Jail on a FBI hold. He will likely face charges for Assault with a Deadly weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm, Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device, and potentially other charges as well.
The school employee who was injured was taken to the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
Edwards is expected to be charged for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to do bodily harm and possession of an unregistered destructive device.
Visit Tampafp.com for Politics, Sports, and National Headlines. Support journalism by clicking here to our GiveSendGo or sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here.
Android Users, Click Here To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook Here Or Twitter Here.
Copyright 2022 The Free Press, LLC, tampafp.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.