82-year-old Anthony Goulding, was caught on police body camera footage setting himself and his residence on fire on Monday. He was facing an eviction notice served by the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, and rather than complying with it, he chose to end his life in this drastic way, KFOR 4 News reported.
The video starts with officers quickly rushing towards Goulding’s room where he can be seen holding a red gas canister and pouring its contents on the floor. The officers can be heard shouting for him to stop, but he continues to carry out his intentions.
A deputy on the scene then tries to direct Goulding to stop and thinks that he has successfully convinced him to do so. But to everyone’s shock and horror, the elderly man proceeds to light the liquid gas on fire. As the fire starts, officers try to grab him and stop him, but it’s already too late.
The deputy who was closest to Goulding tried to pull him away from the fire, but he was too late. A female officer can be heard calling for backup as the fire quickly spreads out of control. The size of the fire forces the deputy to retreat and call for help instead of trying to stop it himself. He informs dispatch of the incident and asks for immediate assistance.
Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III shared on Facebook that unfortunately, Goulding “perished in the blaze”. Tragically, his dog also lost its life in the fire. However, his wife, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, was able to survive due to the quick actions of the officers. They were able to quickly escort her out of the burning building.
Johnson also revealed that the couple was supposed to be moved to an extended stay facility, which the police had arranged for them. An Uber was waiting outside their residence to take them to this location, but unfortunately, Goulding’s actions ended in tragedy.
Despite the intense and dangerous situation, the two deputies who served the eviction notice were not seriously injured. One did suffer minor burns during the incident, but thankfully, they both survived with no major injuries.
GRAPHIC VIDEO WARNING: OK County Sheriff release body cam footage, as a deputy trying to carry out an eviction is confronted by an elderly resident who set his bedroom & himself on fire. That deputy was burned trying to pull the man (who did not survive ) to safety. (thread 1/2) pic.twitter.com/H6gN1Nb8Xq
— Tara Blume (@tcblume) April 2, 2024
The incident involving 82-year-old Anthony Goulding is a tragic reminder of the tough situations that law enforcement officials have to face every day. The body camera footage captured this horrific event and serves as a reminder of the importance of mental health and the need to provide support to those in need. It is a sad and unfortunate end to a man’s life, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.