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TULSA, OK — A Tulsa man says he had no choice but to use deadly force after being violently attacked with a baseball bat outside his home on Monday.
As reported by News On 6, Charles Berry was in his driveway working on his cars when he was approached by 36-year-old Dane Swets, a man Berry recognized from the neighborhood. According to Berry, Swets—who he believed was homeless and struggling with mental illness—walked up wielding a baseball bat and declared, “I’m going to teach you a lesson,” before striking Berry in the face. The blow was so forceful it reportedly broke the bat.
“I couldn’t believe I didn’t pass out because he hit me real hard,” Berry recalled.
Fearing for his life and anticipating another blow, Berry says he drew his firearm and shot Swets once. The wounded man walked away slowly before collapsing in a nearby driveway. Berry, still shaken, attempted to render aid, bringing over a blanket and an ice pack while waiting for first responders.
Berry said he immediately asked for someone to call 911 and contacted his wife, uncertain of what legal consequences he might face. “Told her I loved her, told her I probably won’t be home tonight, if ever… but I did what I had to do,” he said.
Tulsa police arrived and reviewed surveillance footage from the scene. After speaking with Berry and evaluating the evidence, officers released him pending further investigation. Police confirmed that they will forward their findings to the district attorney, who will determine whether any charges are warranted.
Berry expressed deep remorse over the incident but emphasized that he acted only to save his life. “You’re not supposed to kill, but you got to do certain things in life. Anybody who thinks I enjoy it, they’re dead wrong,” he said.
This incident is a clear reminder of the importance of being prepared, even in and around your own home. Berry wasn’t out at a store or on a trip—he was working on his vehicles in his own driveway. Had he not been carrying at that moment, the outcome could have been tragically different. Violent encounters don’t always happen in dark alleys or late at night. They can occur in broad daylight, in familiar neighborhoods, and at the hands of people you’ve even shown kindness to. For law-abiding gun owners, carrying consistently—whether inside the home or stepping outside to take out the trash—can mean the difference between life and death.
