1 dead, 7 hurt in shooting during Tulsa’s Juneteenth Festival

A night of celebration turned into tragedy during Tulsa’s Juneteenth Festival as gunfire erupted in the Greenwood District, leaving one person dead and 7 others wounded.

Police responded around 11 p.m. Saturday to a shooting in the area of North Greenwood Avenue, prompting a large emergency response.

What We Know About the Shooting

Tulsa Police confirmed that 8 people were shot during the festival. One victim died from their injuries, and 7 others were taken to local hospitals by EMSA.

Tulsa police said a 22-year-old man was struck and killed under the overpass on Greenwood. Police say 7 other people, ranging in age from 17 years old to an elderly woman were shot and taken to hospitals. Police said a 24-year-old man was badly hurt.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is assisting with processing the scene.

Police said officers believe there may have been 2 shooters, and said they have interviewed several people but they were either unwilling or unable to provide much information about what happened.

Witnesses Describe a Sudden Shift

Festivalgoers say the mood was festive before the violence erupted.

“Peaceful, fun, everybody was partying and having a really good time,” said Virginia Steward of Tulsa. “The music was great. Food was good. People were having a good time and dancing with each other everything. And then all of a sudden, boom, it stopped.”

Police Response and Road Closures

Tulsa Police shut down several roads in the Greenwood District, including Archer Street and Elgin Avenue. Crime scene tape surrounded parts of the area near ONEOK Field as officers investigated.

The department described the scale of the response as an “all call,” meaning all available officers were called to the scene.

Police said as officers cleared the Greenwood area, people ran to other parts of downtown, "causing disturbances throughout the Blue Dome area."

The crime scene extended over several blocks, Tulsa Police said, and multiple agencies responded to help TPD "stabalize the downtown area."

Below is a new post Tulsa PD shared on Facebook Sunday morning.

Festival Organizers Respond

In a statement released overnight, organizers of Tulsa’s Juneteenth Festival said:

“We have been made aware of a shooting that occurred during the Tulsa Juneteenth Festival. Our on-site security and medical teams responded immediately, and we remain in close communication with first responders. We are actively cooperating with the Tulsa Police Department and other law enforcement agencies as the investigation continues.”

They added: “Out of respect for those impacted, all programming is currently canceled. Please keep our community in your prayers. We will share additional updates as more information becomes available.”