Authorities have not announced any arrests from the shooting that took place during Del City's football game at Choctaw on Friday night.
The shooting left a 16-year-old Midwest City High School student dead and two others injured.
A Del City police officer who was working security for the game discharged their weapon during the incident. Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson confirmed in a press conference Monday that the officer shot a 42-year-old man in the chest. He remains hospitalized.
"The officer perceived some sort of threat," Johnson said. But he declined to elaborate on the nature of the threat.
Two guns and eight rounds were recovered at the scene.
Mid-Del Superintendent Rick Cobbcalled the shooting "traumatizing," adding that children who were in attendance at the game "experienced something that none of us should ever have to see or hear." He says Mid-Del school campuses will be closed to visitors this week out of an abundance of caution.
Video shows moments of terror
From the Skordle broadcast… shots fired at Del City vs. Choctaw game #okpreps pic.twitter.com/6tY0pJxMmd
— Cameron Jourdan (@Cam_Jourdan) August 26, 2023
The online broadcaster Skordle was streaming the game. The video shows players milling around the field between plays when loud bangs suddenly go off.
Players and people on the sideline begin running and diving to the ground in the mass confusion. The game commentators are asking “what is going on,” as people in the crowd scream.
More bangs go off and the announcer says over the intercom to the stadium, “everybody get down.”
Officials react
Immediately following the shooting, Mid-Del superintendent Cobb and Choctaw-Nicoma Park Schools Superintendent David Reed issued a joint statement.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to all affected by tonight’s incident,” they said. “Both districts are working jointly with the police presence from Choctaw, Del City, and Oklahoma County in an ongoing investigation.”
Gov. Kevin Stitt put out a statement that he and his wife Sarah Stitt were “heartbroken over the news of the senseless violence at Choctaw High School,” he wrote. “We are praying for everyone involved.
"Let me be clear, violence will not be tolerated in Oklahoma. I am deeply thankful to the Choctaw and Del City officers who responded quickly and saved lives. My office is in contact with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety and Choctaw law enforcement and we're monitoring the situation."
State Superintendent Ryan Walters also issued a statement.
"Last night’s event in Choctaw is tragic,” he wrote. “Violence of any kind has no place at our school events, and anyone who would threaten our kids must be swiftly brought to justice.”
Not the only incident with a gun at a high school football game
The Mayes County Sheriff’s Office reports disarming an armed juvenile during a game in Locust Grove.
Sheriff Mike Reed said in a social media post that a school resource deputy was given a tip of a juvenile with a gun at the game. Deputies took him away from the crowd then disarmed the person after a “short disagreement.”
“Please keep getting involved and telling us information,” Reed wrote on Facebook. “We all must continue to work together to fight these [kinds of] threats to our families.”
Tulsa Police also report an incident of a teenager brandishing a gun during a football game at Booker T. Washington High School, according to the Tulsa World.
He pulled the gun, causing a "brief stampede" before he was chased to a nearby apartment complex and apprehended.
No injuries were reported in either incident.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
