Tulsa Police Chief: Weekend shooting downtown was an isolated incident, city remains safe

Tulsa Police Chief Dennis Larsen spoke about a weekend shooting that occurred in downtown Tulsa during a large public gathering, resulting in one suspect killed, one wounded, and five bystanders hospitalized.

Tulsa police were already on the scene when shots were fired during a dispute that escalated into gunfire between two individuals. Two officers returned fire, killing one suspect and injuring the other.

“This city is extremely safe. This is an isolated incident that could have occurred anywhere in the city,” Larsen said on Six in the Morning. “It involved two individuals—one very young—that have had a run-in dispute since 2022, when one of their friends was a victim of a homicide.”

According to Chief Larsen, efforts to mediate and de-escalate tensions between the two had been ongoing for years, but the pair "were bent on attacking each other."

See Also: 'Saturday night gets kind of choppy:' People in downtown Tulsa still feel safe after seven people were shot

Police Response

Larsen described how officers reacted within seconds of the gunfire breaking out.

“The officers, realizing that there was a large number of innocents at stake, engaged both individuals. One was killed and the other was wounded. But they did stop the threat,” he said.

He added that six officers were about 25 feet from the gunfire when it began. One of the suspects started running and firing over his shoulder toward the crowd.

“When the first bullet was fired… he was on the ground in less than 5 seconds, and that’s about 4.9 seconds too long, because obviously we had people hit,” Larsen said. “They’re taught to engage the individual who is about to harm a great number of people, and they eliminated the threat.”

See Also: Tulsa Police, Mayor Nichols address public safety concerns after deadly weekend shooting downtown

Impact on Public Safety and Weekend Events

Five innocent bystanders were hospitalized after being shot during the incident. Despite the violence, Larsen emphasized that downtown Tulsa remains safe, especially with upcoming events like Mayfest and concerts at the BOK Center.

“This could literally happen anywhere in Tulsa—any event with large crowds,” Larsen said. “But downtown is extremely safe.”

He added that security for Mayfest has been increased with over 60 certified police officers working the event, along with additional external security measures.

“We expect this weekend to go off without a hitch,” Larsen said.

Advice for the Public

Larsen urged residents not to let one incident change how they enjoy the city.

“There’s hundreds of thousands of people moving around every weekend and they have a great time,” he said. “Enjoy the city of Tulsa. It’s there. It’s safe.”

He also offered practical advice in the event of an emergency.

“If you hear gunfire and you don’t know where it’s coming from, try to get behind a solid object and get low,” Larsen said. “Be aware of your surroundings… and if you see somebody with a gun, move away from them and notify a security officer or on-site Tulsa police officer.”