Shooting in Oklahoma casino parking lot
Earlier Tuesday, a shooting occurred in the Bartlesville parking lot of Oklahoma City's Osage Hotel and Casino. According to police reports, the victim tried to drive away and an officer impounded the vehicle, whereupon the gunman shot the victim.
An unnamed tribal police officer attempted to extricate the shooting victim from his vehicle around 5 a.m. Tuesday. He was unsuccessful and eventually the victim began driving away while the officer appeared to be holding a his vehicle.
The officer was dragged
Apparently, the officer was dragged away as the vehicle drove down the sidewalk. A bystander then shot the driver, who later died.
According to preliminary reports, the officer did not suffer any serious injuries.
Police apparently have a possible suspect in the case. However, it is unclear whether the person is in custody or will be charged.
Initial rumors suggested the victim had been shot by tribal police. That prompted police to issue a statement late Tuesday: "Previous reports that an Osage Nation police officer was responsible for this shooting are incorrect."
In fact, neither the victim nor the suspect were members of the tribe, Tulsa TV station WTUL reported. They are not casino employees either. The identity of the victim has not been released.
Possible vehicle theft
Oklahoma television station KOCO reported that the deceased was suspected of stealing a car. The vehicle may be a blue pickup truck. The fatally injured man also allegedly stole a credit card.
The OSBI is investigating with assistance from the Osage Nation Police Department and Osage Casino Hotel security.
After the shooting, police spoke with witnesses in the parking lot and gathered more evidence.
According to KOTV, someone else was stabbed at the casino complex over the weekend, but their conditions were not disclosed.
The Osage Casino & Hotel in Bartlesville is located off Highway 60. It is one of seven properties owned and operated by the Osage Tribal Council.
The Osage Casino and Bartlesville Hotel opened last Thursday, according to tribal news website 500 Nations. The complex replaced the former Osage Casino. The previous hotel opened in Bartlesville in 2006.
The new gaming hotel features 521 slot machines, table games, a restaurant, a 102-room hotel and a large banquet area for special events.
"The safety of casino guests is of paramount importance," the casino said in a statement Tuesday. "The casino hotel remains open while the investigation continues."
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Source: www.casino.org
