Data about shootings by police officers 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 dylan@readfrontier.com.
Past years
2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018
August
Date: Aug. 11
Department(s) involved: Bryan County Sheriff’s Office
Shot: Wesley Buford, 48.
Race: White.
Fatal: No.
Armed: Yes, with a gun.
Details: Authorities told KFOR Buford was involved in a domestic disturbance when he allegedly “rushed” at deputies while “possessing” a firearm, which led to the shooting. He was treated and released and booked into jail on complaints of assaulting a police officer.
Date: Aug. 2
Department(s) involved: Oklahoma City Police Department
Shot: Brandon Lena, 47.
Race: Unreleased.
Fatal: Yes
Armed: Yes.
Details: Police said Lena was suicidal, armed with a pistol and was threatening suicide by cop when he pointed the firearm at officers and was shot and killed.
July
Date: July 12
Department(s) involved: Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office
Shot: Matthew Lucht.
Race: White.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Yes, with a pistol.
Details: Lucht was allegedly at a Muskogee-area club threatening customers with a gun. A deputy arrived and later said Lucht fled from an arrest, then fought the deputy and attempted to take the deputy’s rifle before being shot and killed.
Date: July 2
Department(s) involved: Oklahoma City Police Department
Shot: Kavon Ragan, 22.
Race: Black.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Yes, with a gun.
Details: Ragan allegedly pointed a gun at someone inside a home in northwest Oklahoma City, prompting a police response, before barricading himself and shooting at officers. One officer, Sgt. Joshua Scott, was shot and wounded during the standoff. Officers eventually returned fire and killed Ragan.
June
May
Date: May 30
Department(s) involved: Lighthorse Police
Shot: Identity not released
Race: Native American
Fatal: Yes
Armed: Yes with a gun
Details: A man involved in a domestic disturbance allegedly pulled a gun on neighbors who were intervening in the disturbance. Police were called, and, following a standoff, the man was shot and killed after allegedly pulling a firearm and shooting at officers.
Date: May 15
Department(s) involved: Tulsa Police Department
Shot: Elmer Vargas, 21.
Race: Hispanic
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Yes with a gun.
Details: Police alleged Vargas began “shooting at random cars” near 100 N. Gilcrease Road. They arrived, returned fire and killed the man, police said.
Date: May 5
Department(s) involved: Oklahoma City Police Department
Shot: Kenneth Allsen, 46.
Race: Not released.
Fatal: Yes
Armed: Yes with a gun.
Details: Allsen was reportedly shooting a gun when officers arrived to a domestic call. Allsen, police said, began to walk away from officers, “then looked back as he grabbed a gun from his waist.” He was shot by Lt. James Runner, a 10-year OKC police veteran, according to a release from the department.
April
Date: April 10
Department(s) involved: Tulsa Police Department
Shot: Jesus Huerta-Sanchez, 28.
Race: Hispanic.
Fatal: Yes.
Armed: Yes with a gun.
Details: Police told the Tulsa World Huerta-Sanchez had fired two shots into the air and ran from police before pointing a gun at officers. Huerta-Sanchez was allegedly causing a disturbance outside a Tulsa home on the afternoon of April 10, leading a resident to call police. Huerta-Sanchez fled before police arrived but was located by a police dog. He allegedly raised a firearm at officers before being shot. He was hospitalized but died later that evening. Body camera video released by the department shows the shooting.
March
Date: March 3
Department(s) involved: Hughes County Sheriff’s Office
Shot: Clovis Lee Reeves Jr., 45.
Race: Not released.
Fatal: No.
Armed: Yes with a gun.
Details: Authorities said they tried to stop Reeves for an alleged traffic violation, but he fled from officers. When he came to a stop, authorities said, he allegedly was armed with a firearm. It’s not clear if Reeves fired the weapon or pointed it at officers, but he was shot and hospitalized.
Date: March 2
Department(s) involved: Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office
Shot: Not released
Race: Not released
Fatal: Yes
Armed: Yes with a gun
Details: A man who was wanting for allegedly violating a protective order, threatening his wife and threatening to die by “suicide by cop” died during an encounter with officers. It’s not yet known if he died by suicide or was shot by an officer (3/07/24.) The man allegedly was picked up by an “innocent person,” and when he was found by officers, pointed his gun at them and fired. He was shot and later died at a hospital. “Based upon the preliminary investigation, it is not known whether the individual took his own life, or was struck by one of the deputies’ rounds,” Johnson County Sheriff Gary Dodd told KXII.
February
Date: Feb. 22
Department(s) involved: Altus Police Department
Shot: Valentin Benavides IV
Race: Not released
Fatal: Yes
Armed: Knife.
Details: All police have said is that witnesses reported seeing a man with a knife. Officers said they spoke with the man, who allegedly charged at them. He was shot and killed.
Date: Feb. 4
Department(s) involved: Bixby Police Department.
Shot: Christopher Veal, 55.
Race: White.
Fatal: No.
Armed: Yes, with a gun.
Details: Bixby Police responded to an early-morning domestic dispute and said Veal eventually fired “multiple rounds” toward officers, who returned fire, striking him. Veal was hospitalized, released and later booked into jail in Tulsa.
Date: Feb. 1
Department(s) involved: Oklahoma Highway Patrol, U.S. Marshals
Shot: Preston Lange
Race: White
Fatal: No
Armed: Yes, with a gun.
Details: Lange was being arrested for allegedly removing his ankle monitor after being released from prison. While authorities were attempting to serve the warrant, Lange allegedly shot at them. Officers returned fire, striking Lange, who survived.
January
Date: Jan. 20
Department(s) involved: LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office
Shot: James Williams.
Race: Unreleased.
Fatal: No.
Armed: Yes, with a gun.
Details: Deputies arrived at a home in LeFlore County after being notified of a domestic disturbance. The suspect fled the home, authorities said, eventually crashing his vehicle. He exited with a firearm, deputies said, and was shot. He survived.
