Oklahoma's Own In Focus: Tulsa Police Share Gun Safety Tips After 18-Year-Old Dies From Accidental Shooting

Tulsa Police arrested a 17-year-old after officers say he accidentally shot an 18-year-old in the head.

Investigators say the teen was playing with the gun when it went off, hitting Seely Rudolph in the head and killing him.

The district attorney will determine whether to file charges.

Tulsa Police Say To Keep Guns Safe

Gun safety is important for anyone handling a gun, no matter their age.

Police say Seeley Rudolph's death was a tragic accident but a preventable one.

They say the 17-year-old told them he got the gun from a friend's house, but so far, no one has reported it stolen or missing.

Tulsa Police say the number of guns stolen out of vehicles is a huge problem right now, and owning a gun comes with a big responsibility, like keeping it safe and knowing the serial number.

"The only uniquely identifiable characteristic of that firearm is the serial number,” Richard Meulenberg, Tulsa Police Captain, said. “Honestly, you should document serial numbers on everything you have, but at the bare minimum of guns because guns are a commodity."

Meulenberg says the serial number gives detectives critical information.

"When we run into a firearm in the street, we run the serial number. If you don't know it, then we can't trace that gun back to maybe a crime or as lost from your place," said Meulenberg.

Police say they are seeing more violent crimes being committed by teenagers using guns, robberies, and murders, and they shouldn't even have guns at all.

“They're sub-25, and they're teenagers; they were even younger. And, you know, the bottom line is, your prefrontal cortex isn't developing til your mid-20s. There are people out here who are coping with just growing up as adults. And they're not thinking these things through," said Meulenberg.

How To Safely Handle Guns

Experts say anyone handling a gun should always treat it like it's loaded and never assume it's not ready to fire.

They say no one should be playing with guns or pointing them at someone and pretending to fire them as a joke or to scare someone.

They say it’s important to keep them in a safe place, both inside your home and your vehicle, so it doesn't get into the wrong hands.

Tulsa Police says hundreds of guns are stolen out of vehicles a year, and it's putting those weapons into the hands of criminals.

"We have to kind of put a stranglehold on where they're getting your guns from,” Meulenberg said. “And that's where we need help."