Armed bystanders kill shooter in US

Washington, May 26 (IANS) Armed bystanders gunned down a shooter killing him after he injured three people at a restaurant in Oklahoma, US, police said.

The shooter on Thursday opened fire with a handgun in Louie's Grill & Bar, striking three people inside the restaurant from a position outside the front door, CNN reported on Friday quoting Oklahoma Police official Bo Mathews as saying.

As the gunman ran from the scene, two bystanders got their own handguns from the trunks of their vehicles, then confronted and fatally shot the attacker outside the restaurant, said Mathews.

"They were able to shoot this suspect and put an end to this very dangerous situation," he said, adding that the men--Carlos Nazario, 35, and Bryan Wittle, 39--did not know each other. It's not clear who fired the fatal shot.

The attacker was identified by police as Alexander C. Tilghman, 28, a resident of Oklahoma. "It doesn't look like he knew anybody at the restaurant," Mathews said.

He added that Tilghman had no known history of mental illness and appears to have acted alone. The motive remains unknown.

The condition of three wounded are stable, police said. 

The bystanders' actions were "well within their legal rights" and likely would be protected by good Samaritan laws, Mathews said. He deferred a final call to the Oklahoma County district attorney.

"These guys were protecting somebody else's life," said Mathews. "You can say they are heroes."