The following is a list of every officer-involved shooting in Oklahoma in 2020.
Data about officer-involved shootings can be hard to find, so The Frontier actively tries to collect and store as much information as possible on every shooting.
Know of an officer-involved shooting we missed, or have information on one we’ve covered? Contact us at info@readfrontier.com
December shootings
Thursday, Dec. 31
Location: In McAlester, near South Main Street and Ottawa Avenue.
Officers involved: McAlester Police Department.
Shot: Nicholas Halkias, 40.
Race: White.
Fatal: No.
Armed: McAlester Police said they responded to the area because Halkias was threatening to harm himself. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said Halkias “advanced” on officers and refused to drop his weapon before officers shot him. The OSBI did not say what kind of weapon Halkias was allegedly armed with when he was shot.
Tuesday, Dec. 15
Location: Glenpool, near West 149th Street and South Yukon Avenue.
Officers involved: Glenpool Police Department.
Shot: Julian Rose, 28
Race: Native American.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Unclear. The FBI, which is handling the case due to Rose being a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, said Rose fought with an officer, who then shot and killed him.
Friday, Dec. 11
Location: 2100 block of W Hefner Rd., Oklahoma City.
Officers involved: Oklahoma City Police Department. The officers’ names have not yet been released.
Shot: Bennie Edwards, 60.
Race: Black.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Edwards, who family members said struggled with mental illness and had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, was armed with a knife, police said. Video showed Edwards running in the direction of officers before shots were fired, but also appeared to show shots being fired as he had run past the officers.
Update: Sgt. Clifford Holman was charged on Feb. 25, 2021, with first-degree manslaughter in connection to this shooting.
Wednesday, Dec. 2
Location: Near 56th Street North and Peoria, Tulsa.
Officers involved: Tulsa Police Department, the officers’ identities have not been released.
Shot: The person who was shot has so far only been identified as a male.
Race: Not released.
Fatal: Initial reports stated the man was hospitalized and was not in critical condition.
Armed: Police said the man was armed with a knife and rushed at police after officers arrived to assist at a home in north Tulsa at a possible arson call.
November shootings
Friday, Nov. 27
Location: Outside Casey’s General Store, 5350 Adams Boulevard, in Bartlesville.
Officers involved: The Bartlesville Police Department has not yet released the names of the officers involved in the shooting.
Shot: Tyler Rollins, 25.
Race: White.
Fatal: No.
Armed: Bartlesville police said Rollins, who had several outstanding warrants, “wielded” a firearm at officers before being shot.
Sunday, Nov. 22
Location: The 7900 block of South Western Avenue, near Southwest 74th Street in Oklahoma City.
Officers involved: Officers Bethany Sears, Jared Barton, Corey Adams, John Skuta, and Brad Pemberton, Sgt. Sarah Carli, all of the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Shot: Stavian Rodriguez, 15.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: According to the police department, five officers fired gunshots at Rodriguez, who had allegedly attempted to rob a gas station with a handgun, while a sixth officer shot the teenager with a “less lethal round” after Rodriguez allegedly made “furtive moves” when confronted by officers. Video here.
Thursday, Nov. 19
Location: Near Southwest 50th Street and Shartel Avenue in Oklahoma City.
Officers involved: Sgt. Daniel Carli and Sgt. James Runner, Oklahoma City Police Department.
Shot: Michael Dansby, 43.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Yes. Police received a 911 call from a woman saying her fiance was loading a firearm. Officers located Dansby who they say pointed a firearm at them as they were issuing him orders. Both officers shot Dansby, who was found to have a loaded shotgun and handgun, police said. Police said Dansby had been reported as acting erratically in the days leading up to the shooting.
Thursday, Nov. 19
Location: 1420 Hunter Road, in Lawton.
Officers involved: Lawton Police Department. The names of the officers have not yet been released.
Shot: Duane Scott Murray, 30.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Yes. Police said the man broke into an apartment where he ordered a woman to remove her clothes. The woman escaped, and police arrived and shot the man when he pointed a gun at them, according to a report.
Wednesday, Nov. 11
Location: Downtown Oklahoma City.
Officers involved: Oklahoma City Police Department. The names of the officers have not been released.
Shot: Brandon Milburn, 37
Race: Black.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Yes. Police believe Milburn shot and killed his girlfriend, 23-year old Shatica Hixon, then took their teenage daughter, resulting in a statewide Amber Alert. The child was later found safe with relatives, police said. Milburn shot one officer, but the bullet was stopped by a protective vest. At least nine officers returned fire at Milburn, killing him.
Thursday, Nov. 5
Location: Outside the OYO Hotel in the 1000 block of North Garnett Road in Tulsa.
Officers involved: Tulsa Police Department. The names of the officers have not been released.
Shot: Jacob C. Rucker, 36.
Race: American Indian.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: No. Rucker, a suspect in multiple auto thefts, was confronted by officers and “rammed” them with a vehicle, police said.
Sunday, Nov. 1
Location: Near Kenwood, a small town in northeast Oklahoma.
Officers involved: Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.
Shot: Trifton Wacoche, 26.
Race: Native American.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Authorities said they exchanged gunfire with Wacoche during a pursuit before ultimately shooting and killing him.
October shootings
Wednesday, October 14
Location: Cookson.
Officers involved: Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. The deputy’s name has not been released.
Shot: Jericho Wynos, 45.
Race: Native American.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Authorities said the man had a spear, and removed stun gun prods from his body after being stunned, then charged at the officer with the spear before being shot and killed.
September shootings
No police shootings were reported in September.
August shootings
Friday, August 21
Location: Near 27th Street and 80th East Avenue, in Tulsa.
Officers involved: Tulsa Police Department. The officers’ names have not yet been released.
Shot: Anthony Rucker, 36.
Race: Black.
Fatal: No. Police said at the shooting scene that Rucker was shot in the arm.
Armed: No. Police allege Rucker was selling drugs and then stuck an officer with his car, leading to a pursuit.
Tuesday, August 11
Location: Near Northeast 23rd Street and Martin Luther King Avenue. Oklahoma City.
Officers involved: Oklahoma City Police Department Sgt. Jonathan Thomas and officer Cody Fry.
Shot: James Harmon, 32.
Race: Black.
Fatal: Harmon was initially listed in critical condition.
Armed: Handgun. Police said they were responding to a domestic disturbance phone call when they encountered the man, who walked toward them while holding the gun after refusing orders to drop the weapon.
Tuesday, August 11
Location: 129th East Avenue near the I-44 overpass, east of Tulsa.
Officers involved: Rogers County Sheriff’s Office. The deputy’s name has not been released.
Shot: Paul Monroe Bryan, 48.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: No. The man was involved in a vehicle chase, police said. He was eventually stopped and allegedly fought with deputies. Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton told the Tulsa World the man was shot after trying to grab a deputy’s gun.
Sunday, August 9
Location: Near 21st and 145th East Avenue, Tulsa.
Officers involved: Tulsa Police Department. The officers’ names have not bee released.
Shot: Earl Barton Jr., 42.
Race: Barton is identified in Department of Corrections records as Native American.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Knife. The man was reportedly involved in a vehicle chase that began near 61st Street and Peoria Avenue. He was eventually stopped and allegedly fought with officers while holding a knife before being shot and killed.
Saturday, August 8
Location: Near Harvard Avenue and Apache Street, Tulsa.
Officers involved: Tulsa Police Department. The officers’ names have not bee released.
Shot: Jonathan Randell, 25.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Knife. The man was apparently injuring himself with the knife when officers shot him with a pepperball gun, a less lethal weapon. He stopped cutting himself, authorities said, but was shot and killed after allegedly approaching officers with the knife.
July shootings
Saturday, July 25
Location: The Village, just north of Oklahoma City.
Officers involved: The Village Police Department Corp. Chance Avery
Shot: Christopher Poor, 49.
Race: White
Fatal: Yes
Armed: Unclear. Authorities have only said that Avery arrived at the location after being notified of a domestic disturbance, and shot Poor during “a confrontation.”
Update: Video released by the department shows that Poor was armed only with a baseball bat when he was shot by Avery. Avery has been charged with first-degree manslaughter.
Tuesday, July 21
Location: Near S.W. 89th Street and Western Avenue in Oklahoma City.
Officers involved: Oklahoma City Police Department Sgt. Julian Barrie, and Cleveland County deputies Jordan Norris and Colten Harris.
Shot: Kyle Elrod, 30.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Authorities have said Elrod pointed a gun at law enforcement officers who had made a traffic stop on the vehicle. The person who was shot was in the back seat of the vehicle authorities said.
Video: Watch here.
Saturday, July 11
Location: 89th Street and Evans road in Union City, in Canadian County.
Officers involved: A Minco Police Department reserve officer. The officer’s name has not been released.
Shot: The woman who was shot identified herself as 51-year-old Carrie Wever.
Race: White.
Fatal: No.
Armed: No. The woman who was shot was reportedly in a pursuit and wrecked her car. A release from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said the Union City officer who was in the pursuit exited her vehicle, then shot the driver as she attempted to flee.
June shootings
Tuesday, June 30
Location: Near intersection of Louisville Avenue and Pine Street, in Tulsa.
Officers involved: Tulsa Police Department
Shot: William Scott, 38.
Race: Black.
Fatal: No
Armed: Yes. Police said the man ran from the traffic stop, then drew a weapon on officers who fired and struck him.
Thursday, June 25
Location: Will Rogers Turnpike, near Vinita.
Officers involved: Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Caleb Cole.
Shot: Robert D’Lon Harris, 34.
Race: Black.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Unclear. Authorities have said Harris was a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over for an alleged traffic infraction. The driver, a woman whose name has not been released, exited the vehicle to speak with the trooper, according to a release. The trooper then asked Harris to exit the vehicle. He complied, but re-entered the vehicle and exited again before being shot. The OHP said a gun and drugs were found inside the vehicle, though they didn’t say if they belonged to Harris.
Friday, June 19
Location: Jay, in the 200 block of South Hampton Drive.
Officers involved: Jay Police. Department. The officer’s name has not been released.
Shot: Henry Barnes Jr., 25.
Race: Native American.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Police have not said if Barnes was armed, just that he fought with officers when they arrived to the residence.
Friday, June 5
Location: Mustang, near Southwest 59th Street and Mustang Road.
Officers involved: Mustang Police Department. The officer’s name has not been released.
Shot: Benjamin Ballad, 42.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Mustang police said Ballad was stopped because an officer believed he was driving while drunk. Ballad reportedly pointed a firearm at the officer, who shot and killed him.
Wednesday, June 3
Location: Downtown Tulsa, near 11th Street and Denver Avenue.
Officers involved: Tulsa Police Department. The officer’s name has not been released.
Shot: The name of the person who was shot has not yet been released.
Race: White.
Fatal: No.
Armed: The man who was shot by officers had reportedly just shot another man in downtown Tulsa, not far from where a peaceful protest over police brutality and racism was taking place. Police said the shooting was a domestic disturbance and was not related to the protest.
Wednesday, June 3
Location: Poteau.
Officers involved: Poteau Police Department. The officer’s name has not been released.
Shot: Mary Lawrence, 39.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Poteau police said Lawrence had a knife and attempted to stab a civilian inside a residence before Lawrence was shot and killed by an officer.
May shootings
Wednesday, May 27
Location: Wilburton.
Officers involved: Wilburton Police Department. The officer’s name has not been released.
Shot: Alexander Scott, 30.
Race: Scott’s race has not been released.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Scott reportedly stabbed Wilburton Police Department Officer Richard Johnson several times in the neck and shoulder before Johnson shot and killed him. Johnson was briefly hospitalized and later released.
Monday, May 4
Location: Muskogee.
Officers involved: Muskogee Police Department. The department said Lieutenant Chris Dean and officer Shane Leach fired their guns at Bruner.
Shot: Demontre Bruner, 21.
Race: Black.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Muskogee police told KTUL Bruner, who was wanted in connection with a homicide in Tulsa, fired a gun at officers before being shot. He was taken to a Tulsa hospital where he died.
April shootings
Sunday, April 5
Location: 6000 block of County Road 1490 in Ada.
Officers involved: Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office.
Shot: Michael Leon Hammett, 44.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Yes, with a knife. The man was reportedly threatening self-harm when he was shot, authorities said.
March shootings
Saturday, March 21
Location: 2800 block of South Pittsburgh Avenue, Tulsa.
Officers involved: Tulsa Police Department. The officer’s name is Aaron Russell.
Shot: Michael Delaney, 35.
Race: Black.
Fatal: No.
Armed: Tulsa police said Delaney was inside a car and had a firearm in the seat when he was approached by officers. Delaney, police said, tried to drive away as officers were removing him from the vehicle, and was shot. He briefly escaped but was arrested later that night. His wounds were not considered serious, police said.
Note: The officer who shot Delaney was indicted for the shooting. The “firearm” police said Delaney had inside the vehicle was an airsoft pistol.
Friday, March 13
Location: Blue Starr Drive and Lone Elm Road in Claremore.
Officers involved: Rogers County Sheriff’s Office.
Shot: Jorge Martinez, 30.
Race: Hispanic.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton said deputies were serving a protective order on Martinez when he allegedly struck a deputy multiple times. The deputy fired at Martinez, killing him.
Friday, March 6
Location: Waterstone Apartments, 1042 E. 57th Place, in Tulsa.
Officers involved: The names of the officers have not yet been released.
Shot: Jerry Gaghins, 42.
Race: Gaghins, who previously spent times in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, is identified in prison records as being Native American.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Gahins was armed with a knife, according to police, who were responding to a 911 call about a domestic incident where Gaghins was reportedly armed with a knife. Tulsa police said in a statement early Friday Gaghins approached officers and a security guard with a knife and was shot after refusing to drop it.
February shootings
Wednesday, Feb. 26
Location: Tahlequah
Officers involved: Oklahoma Highway Patrol, US Marshal task force, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. The officers were identified as Sgt. Richard Berry, Sgt. Brad Baker and Deputy Aaron Johnson of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, and The Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troopers Stacy Howze and Matthew Williams.
Shot: James Gilbert Thomson, 30.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Thompson, who was wanted by authorities for allegedly shooting at a Fort Gibson Police Department Officer on Sunday, was shot and killed in Tahlequah following a pursuit.
Friday, Feb. 7
Location: Sapulpa, at a cemetery near east Teel Road.
Officers involved: Sapulpa Police Department. The officer’s name has not been released.
Shot: Michael Collins, 38.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: The man was suicidal and reportedly armed with a knife, police said. Sapulpa police said Collins approached the officer with the knife and was shot and killed.
Tuesday, Feb. 4
Location: Allen, in Pontotoc County.
Officers involved: An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper shot and killed Taylor.
Shot: Shawn Taylor, 33.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Yes. Authorities said Taylor fled from a traffic stop to his home, and hid in the attic. A SWAT team destroyed the home and an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper shot and killed Taylor, who allegedly was pointing a firearm responding officers.
January shootings
Tuesday, Jan 28
Location: Comanche. Along Highway 53 between Walters and Comanche.
Officers involved: Officers from the Walters Police Department, along with Cotton and Stephens County sheriffs offices. Names have not yet been released.
Shot: Ila Combs, 35, and Ronald J. Coleman II, 26.
Race: Coleman is white.
Fatal: No. Both people who were shot were transported to a local hospital.
Armed: No. The OSBI said a Cotton County Sheriff’s Office deputy saw a car with no plates drive by and tried to pull the vehicle over, leading to a pursuit. The driver of the vehicle, in an attempt to avoid the stop sticks, drove off the road and spun out, according to an OSBI news release. Law enforcement vehicles surrounded the stopped vehicle, and authorities began shooting at the car as it was “put … in reverse to avoid deputies.”
Video: Click HERE
Sunday, Jan 20
Location: Moore. Near Northwest 27th Street near North Shields Boulevard.
Officers involved: Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers Joe Kimmons and Clay Anderson.
Shot: Adam Ray Hernandez, 34.
Race: Court documents identify Hernandez as Hispanic.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: No. Video shows Hernandez stealing a black Chevrolet at a convenience store in Purcell, and Hernandez allegedly led Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers on a chase that ended in Moore when Hernandez crashed the vehicle. An Oklahoma Department of Public Safety news release stated Hernandez was shot when exiting the vehicle.
Saturday, Jan. 11
Location: Inola.
Officers involved: Inola Police Department. The officer has not had his identity released. UPDATE: A federal court filing identified the officer in the shooting as Joe Beers.
Shot: Scott Nove, 25.
Race: White.
Fatal: No.
Armed: No. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said Nove fled from a traffic stop on a motorcycle and the officer fired a shot “as the pursuit ended.” The OSBI has not released the identity of the person who was shot, but friends identified him as Scott Nove to NewsOn6 and said Nove was struck in the foot.
Tuesday, Jan. 7
Location: Liberty.
Officers involved: Sequoyah County Deputies Thomas Stafford and Robert Johnson.
Shot: Matthew Swain, 25.
Race: White.
Fatal: No.
Armed: Authorities said they had been notified a man was walking down the street with a handgun. Deputies who arrived and spoke to Swain said he pulled the gun on them, which was actually a replica pellet gun. They fired back striking him several times.
Video: Click here
Sunday, Jan. 5
Location: Near West Reno Avenue and South Meridian Avenue.
Officers involved: Oklahoma City Police Department officers Daniel Reedy, Moises Avelar, Bradley Pemberton, Nathan Ross and Austin Meredith
Shot: Samuel Lanham, 50.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Police said Lanham had stabbed a woman prior to the shooting, and was brandishing the knife when they encountered him in public. Police said they used less lethal weapons against Lanham, which were ineffective. They shot him when he reportedly advanced on them following stun gun and bean bag guns were used against him.
