Updated at 3:10 p.m.
A man police allege beheaded a woman at a Moore food distribution center late Thursday has a lengthy criminal record and a history of assault, according to court records.
At a press conference Friday morning, police spokesman Jeremy Lewis also said suspect Alton Nolen was in the process of being terminated.
“After conducting interviews with co-workers of Nolen, information was obtained that he recently started trying to convert co-workers to the Muslim religion,” Lewis said.
Sheryl Siddiqui, a spokesperson for the Islamic Council of Oklahoma, says Nolen wasn't known to any leadership in Oklahoma's mosques.
"We do not have any confirmation of his conversion either in prison or out in the community," Siddiqui said in a statement.
Prison records show Nolen as having religion-oriented tattoos bearing "Jesus Christ" on his chest, the words "As-Salaamu Ataikum" on his abdomen, and praying hands on his right arm. "Assalamu Alaikum" is a common Muslim greeting.
Lewis said that upon being terminated, the suspect drove his vehicle to the Vaughan Foods distribution center on the east side of Moore, struck another vehicle, then attacked a woman with a knife, 54-year-old Colleen Hufford.
“He did kill Colleen and severed her head,” Lewis said. Lewis said the suspect then attacked another victim.
Lewis said Mark Vaughan, an Oklahoma County Reserve Deputy and the CEO of Vaughan Foods, “confronted Nolen and shot him,” stopping the assault.
The suspect and surviving victim were transported to a nearby hospital and are in stable condition. Charges have not yet been filed in the case. The Associated Press reports that the FBI has been asked to help in the investigation.
Online court and prison records show Nolen, formerly of Idabel, has previous convictions of cocaine possession, escape, and assaulting a police officer.
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