Sunday, March 24th 2013, 10:02 pm
Robert Horton worked for UPS, but he was subcontracted to deliver supplies to Papa John's Pizza locations across four states.
While on a delivery in Tulsa early Saturday, Horton -- a 53-year-old Arlington, Texas, man and U.S. military veteran -- was gunned down in what is believed to be an attempted robbery.
"If they did it for a robbery, or they did it in cold blood, it’s just sad,” his widow Lisa Horton said.
3/23/2013 Related Story: Tulsa Police Release ID Of Man Gunned Down At Midtown Papa John's
Lisa Horton said her husband had been delivering to Papa John’s for eight years.She received a call from his cell phone Saturday. Instead of Robert being on the other end of the line, it was a nurse who delivered the terrible news.
“I said, 'Can you tell me what happened to my husband?' according to Lisa. "And she said, 'Well, there has been an accident and he's been shot.' And I said, 'Where?' And she said, 'In the chest.' And I said, 'Is he alive?' And she said, "No, ma'am.'"
Police said Horton and a co-worker were unloading a semi on 11th Street and Delaware Avenue about 6 a.m.
His co-worker said he was inside the store when he heard a loud crash, and when he came out to check, Horton was on the ground.
"The overall [consensus] is that we feel violated," Papa John’s assistant manager Arica Loyd said.
While the Texas family deals with the tragedy, employees at nearby businesses in Tulsa are shaken up.
"People getting shot two buildings down, it's scary," Subway employee Cheryl said.
Coney I-Lander manager Jason Wininger said it's prompted them to stress the importance of safety.“Make sure we don't let our employees go out at night,” Wininger said. “We don't let anyone go out alone. We go out of the front door instead of the backdoor."
Police believe three people were involved in the shooting, and they have found surveillance video of a vehicle of interest.
The Hortons just celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary.
"[Robert] was a man and he had a family, and people that loved him,” Lisa Horton said. “And now we've lost him."
If anyone has information about the murder, call Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS.
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