Homeless Man Accused Of Threatening To Kill NW OKC Dog Groomers To Get Out Of Cold

The freezing temperatures have some people taking desperate measures to get out of the cold. Oklahoma City police arrested a homeless man Wednesday for allegedly threatening to kill employees at a dog grooming shop.

According to an arrest affidavit, Joshua DeCarlo, 44, told officers he was tired of being out in the cold and he wanted to be in jail where it was warm. 

Part of DeCarlo's plan to escape the chill involved a dog grooming business near Robinson Avenue and Northwest 23rd Street. The owner said the man first cased the place before walking in the front door.

“The look in his eyes was just so scary,” business owner Dishan Lynn said. “It frightened me, and I don’t get frightened easily.”

Lynn said it was not just the look in DeCarlo's eyes that sent her and employees running for help.

“He came in and had butcher knives in each hand with his arms like this and just started walking towards us,” Lynn said. “He yelled. He was like. ‘Don’t call cops.’”  

Employees told police that DeCarlo threatened to kill all of them. 

“Well, has he threatened anybody with the knife?” the 911 dispatcher said.

“Yes, he’s, he’s threatening us right now,” the 911 caller said. “We just ran out of the back. We’re in the back.”

Lynn said DeCarlo did not take anything from the store, but she did not believe the story DeCarlo gave officers that he was just trying to get out of the cold.

“I really don’t believe that,” Lynn said. “I believe he was sick-minded, and he would have used force on us.”  

However, police said the man did end up in jail.

“When officers arrived, they located the man very quickly,” Oklahoma City Police Department Master Sergeant Gary Knight said. “He was still in the area. Took him into custody.”

DeCarlo faces five complaints of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for each of the employees who were working that day.