OKC residents react after police officer shot, suspect killed in standoff

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Some residents in northwest Oklahoma City were evacuated from their homes after an officer was shot Tuesday morning.

The Oklahoma City Police Department said officers responded to the scene just after 9 a.m. near NW 36th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue after receiving a report of a suspect holding a gun to someone’s head.

“When officers arrived on scene they were met with gunfire coming from the building,” OKCPD Capt. Valerie Littlejohn said.

Littlejohn said one officer was shot and taken to the hospital. Littlejohn said several officers also fired shots at the suspect.

The suspect’s identity has not been released, but police say he barricaded himself in the home, which had two women and three children inside, and refused to come out.

“I keep hearing so many different things,” said Megan, a neighbor. “It’s crazy.”

Littlejohn said some homes were evacuated for safety reasons and entire blocks were put on lockdown, forcing some neighbours to stay indoors.

“There were several homes evacuated around this house just for safety reasons,” Littlejohn said. “If one of the suspects had gone to another house, we didn’t want any innocent bystanders in those houses. So we tried to evacuate them as quickly as possible, as safely as possible, and get them to a safe location.”

Some neighbors told News 4 they felt uneasy, calling the incident unusual for the area.

“I’ve never seen firefighters in bulletproof vests,” said another neighbor, who asked News 4 not to reveal his name.

Police say negotiators tried to talk the suspect out of the home, but the suspect continued to shoot at officers. Police say an officer shot the suspect, who was found dead inside the home.

Two women and three children were examined by a medical team, but police did not determine that their injuries were serious.

Police said the officer who was shot underwent surgery on Tuesday and is expected to survive.

“Everyone out there, please say a prayer for these people,” Megan said. “It’s such a sad situation.”

Police said the officers who fired their weapons are on routine, paid administrative leave pending the results of the investigation.