OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Tragedy struck in Oklahoma City as an 82-year-old man died after setting his house and himself on fire. Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III released harrowing body camera footage of the incident, which allegedly showed the man, Anthony Goulding, trying to set fire to the deputies as well.
According to Sheriff Johnson III, the incident took place when two female deputies were serving an eviction notice to him and his wife. It was revealed that one of the deputies had been assisting the couple for several weeks with finding a new place to live. The plan was to move the couple to an extended stay facility, with transportation arranged through Uber to transport them.
The footage revealed the deputies trying to guide the elderly couple from the home when Goulding was seen pouring gasoline on the carpet outside a bedroom. He then ignited the gasoline-soaked carpet with a lighter, resulting in the deputy pushing him to the ground in an attempt to move him away from the flames. Goulding’s arm was set ablaze, and he threw an ignited gas canister at a deputy, causing the flames to increase rapidly.
Although one deputy attempted to rescue Goulding, the smoke prevented re-entry into the house. Sadly, the high-density smoke and flames quickly overtook the house, leading to the tragic death of Goulding and a family pet.
Despite the tragedy, Sheriff Johnson III highly praised the bravery and efforts of the deputies. Their courageous act of pulling Goulding’s wife, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease and was unable to walk on her own, from the burning home resulted in saving her life.
Sheriff Johnson III further stated that the incident underscores the emotional challenges faced by judicial divisions during eviction processes, as such circumstances stir up personal emotions and effectively result in people losing their homes.
The female deputies who were involved in serving the eviction notice have since been medically cleared, with one of them having sustained minor burns. Goulding’s wife was reported safe and has been relocated to a secure location.