OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — A 25-year-old 7-Eleven clerk who shot a man allegedly trying to strangle her during a late-night shift was terminated by her employer for violating company policy by using her own firearm in self-defense.
The incident took place just before midnight last Thursday. Stephanie Dilyard was working alone when a customer attempted to pay for burritos, beef sticks, and ice cream with a counterfeit $100 bill. When she refused the transaction, the situation quickly escalated.
“He threatened me and said he was going to slice my head off,” Dilyard recounted. As she tried to call police, the suspect began throwing items and then came behind the counter. “I tried to run off, but he grabbed his hands around my neck and pushed me out of the counter space. That’s when I pulled out my gun and I shot him.”
The suspect, 59-year-old Kenneth Thompson, fled to a nearby intersection and called 911. He was later arrested at the hospital and charged with assault and battery, threatening acts of violence, attempting to pass a counterfeit bill, and a felony warrant for violating parole.
Dilyard’s use of force was deemed lawful under Oklahoma’s self-defense statutes. However, she was terminated the following Monday for violating 7-Eleven’s weapons policy, which prohibits employees from possessing firearms on company property. According to the company’s employee handbook, even legally owned firearms are forbidden and may not be stored in personal vehicles parked on company property.
Dilyard said she was told by human resources that instead of using her firearm, she was expected to defend herself with items available in the store. While no specific items were suggested, the policy left some wondering what she was realistically supposed to use—one could only imagine trying to fend off an attacker with a burrito, beef stick, or ice cream bar, the very items Thompson had tried to buy with the fake bill.
Despite losing her job, Dilyard emphasized the importance of preserving her life. “This was a situation where I felt like I was put in a corner between choosing between my job and my life, and I’m always going to choose my life because there’s people that depend on me. I need to be here for my kids.”
She had worked the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift alone for over two years and still bore injuries from the encounter, including a scratch on her neck and burns on her finger from firing the weapon.
Thompson remains in custody. Dilyard hopes her story raises awareness about the vulnerability of late-night workers, particularly women. “If I know there’s a potential someone could take my life, I will do whatever it takes. I hope women see that and know they have the right to defend themselves.”
While corporate policies may restrict weapons in the workplace, your right to defend yourself from imminent death or serious bodily harm is protected under the law. Know your rights, but also understand your employer’s rules—and be prepared for the consequences of choosing personal safety over policy.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help support Dilyard and her children as she navigates the aftermath of the incident and the loss of her job.
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