TULSA, OK — A confrontation that began inside a Tulsa gas station ended with a fatal shooting in the parking lot late Sunday night.
Around 11:20 p.m. on September 21, 2025, Tulsa Police officers responded to reports of a shooting at the QuikTrip located at 220 N. Gilcrease Museum Road. When they arrived, they found 36-year-old Justin Mattingly suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He died at the scene a few minutes later.
Detectives determined that Mattingly and another man were involved in an altercation that started inside the store and escalated outside. Surveillance footage reportedly showed the man assaulting Mattingly, with Mattingly responding by making threats.
The situation continued when Mattingly and a friend, both riding motorcycles, pulled up behind and beside the man’s car at a gas pump. Police say Mattingly kicked the car door before beginning to ride away. At that point, the man fired a shot from inside his car, striking Mattingly.
The shooter was questioned by detectives and released. Police emphasized that no arrest has been made, and the case remains under investigation. All evidence and findings will be forwarded to the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office, which will decide whether charges will be filed.
This case underscores how quickly confrontations can shift and how complicated self-defense law can become. Police say the shooter initially assaulted Mattingly during the first altercation inside the store. However, by the time of the shooting, he was back in his car when Mattingly and another rider pulled up, blocked him in, and began kicking his door. At that point, it could be considered a separate altercation where the shooter may argue he feared for his life while trapped in his vehicle. Whether that fear was reasonable is a question for the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office, which will review all evidence to determine if charges are warranted.
For armed citizens, the key takeaway is that once a fight is over, re-engaging can drastically change the legal picture. Even if someone was the initial aggressor, the law may treat a renewed confrontation as a new threat. Avoiding escalation and walking away when possible is one of the strongest tools for staying both safe and legally protected.
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