Vaughan Foods beheading incident

The slain victim in the attack was identified as 54-year-old Colleen Hufford (January 5, 1960 - September 24, 2014). Her cause of death was verified to be "decapitation due to multiple sharp force trauma to neck" and classified as a homicide.[17] 43-year-old Traci Johnson, the injured victim, was treated at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center for multiple stab wounds and survived her injuries.[5]

Alton Alexander Nolen (born August 16, 1984), at the time age 30, was identified as the sole perpetrator in the attack. He worked as a production line employee at Vaughan Foods before being suspended. He was charged with assault and battery on a police officer after being pulled over in 2010 for having a suspended license plate. He fled, sparking a massive manhunt that lasted for twelve hours. Nolen was sentenced to five years in prison, but was released in March 2013 after serving two years and ordered to attend an anger management course. He was also convicted of cocaine possession with the intent to distribute during the following year.[6]

Nolen had been suspended from his job prior to the attack due to "personnel issues", although specific details still remain unclear.[5] Injured victim Traci Johnson later said it was from an altercation she had with him when he stated he "did not like white people".[7] The weapon he used in the attack was a 10-inch work knife used by employees to cut lettuce and other vegetables, allegedly acquired from his home.[7][18] County District Attorney Greg Mashburn noted that Nolen reportedly had three specific targets for the attack, including Johnson.[15] The other two reported targets were not hurt during the incident. Nolen was shot and wounded during the attack by the company's Chief Operating Officer, a reserve deputy who happened to be armed.[19]

The motive for the attack was initially unclear, as it was not known if the suspect's beliefs played a role in the attack.[14][17] In their search warrant requests, police reported that witnesses had stated "Nolen had several previous disagreements and arguments with employees," while describing him as becoming increasingly violent, disrespectful, and aggressive towards his co-workers. "Witnesses also had overheard Nolen saying that he did not like and beat Caucasians." Nolen had also "recently converted to the Islam religion and was attempting to convince other employees to convert to the religion," and that Nolen had become aggressive and belligerent to other employees, while wanting others to call him 'Muhammad.'[20]

However, prosecutors noted that Nolen had demonstrated an "infatuation" with beheadings. Because of the brutal manner of death and the fact that the attack followed a series of high-profile videotaped beheadings carried out by Islamic State (ISIS) militants in the Middle East, Moore police asked the FBI to assist in the investigation.[11][13][21] The FBI was also investigating the attack because Nolen "was saying Arabic terms in the attack," according to County Prosecutor Greg Mashburn.[19] Although Nolen attended a Baptist church as a youth, Oklahoma prison system records listed his religion as Islam.[20] FBI officials confirmed that their investigation included whether Nolen's recent conversion to Islam was somehow linked to the crime.[13] Moore Police Sgt. Jeremy Lewis confirmed his department's request for FBI help investigating Nolen's background. Oklahoma prison records also show that Nolen, who has a previous criminal record, has a tattoo reading "Assalamu Alaikum", an Arabic greeting that translates to "Peace be with you".[2]

Using his Islamic name, "Jah'Keem Yisrael" his Facebook page featured photos of the Taliban, Osama bin Laden, as well as an image of a partially decapitated man with someone standing over him pulling his head back to show the wound. A photo of the September 11 attacks was shown with the caption:

A Future Prophecy Revelation 18:8 She (The statue Of Liberty) is going into flames. She and anybody who's with her. [sic][22]

Patrick T. Dunleavy, former deputy inspector general of the New York State Police Criminal Intelligence Unit and author of The Fertile Soil of Jihad: Terrorism's Prison Connection, calls it likely that Alton's actions were the result of radicalization.[23]

Saad Mohammed, director of information for the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, confirmed that Alton Nolen began worshipping at the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City (ISGOC) mosque in May and that he had seen him there several times since. A picture on Nolan's Facebook page shows him attending the mosque on September 5, 2014, nineteen days before the attack. Those who attended the same mosque as Nolen described his behavior as "a little odd" and "weird"; nonetheless, his prior behavior did not raise any red flags. Mohammed stated after the attack that Nolen's actions did not reflect the beliefs of Islam.[6]