Man Accused Of Trying To Set 2 Victims On Fire Inside Norman Apartment

A man has been charged after a violent attack in Norman. 

On April 4, around 5:30 a.m., officers received a 911 call that 37-year-old Thomas John Black was possibly trying to kill his ex-girlfriend.

Here is an excerpt of that call:

Caller: “I had a break-up with my boyfriend, probably weeks ago. I came home. My door was kicked-in. He poured lighter fluid all over us, in the whole house. Now he is trying to run into this building with his car, and he is drunk as s***.”

Black is accused of breaking into the victim’s home, dousing her and another person in lighter fluid, and then grabbing a lighter.

The alleged victims were able to wrestle the lighter away, according to court documents.

Police said at that point, the victims barricaded the door and called police.

It wasn’t long before the victims said Black threw a liquor bottle through their window. They added that Black then pulled a gun on those inside the apartment.

Police later found that weapon outside.

“The gun on the ground was determined that it was just an airsoft gun that was manufactured to look like a real firearm,” said Sarah Jensen of the Norman Police Department.

Officers said Black appeared to be drunk.

Witnesses said he was trying to crash his vehicle into the apartment building.

No one reported serious injuries on scene, but the victims did tell officers that the suspect hit them with his fist, and with the airsoft gun.

When officers placed Black in the back of a patrol car, he continually threatened the women. The proof was captured on body camera footage.

Black: “My whole set gonna trip on ya [sic].”

Black: “They gonna [sic] burn you. They gonna [sic] burn you.”

Black is locked up in the Cleveland County Detention Center on two counts of arson, domestic assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, imitational pistol while in commission of a felony, molest motor vehicle.