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Updated 6:41 p.m. ET: A city-federal task force has been set up to find the attacker or attackers who shot three people dead and wounded two in a string of early-morning attacks in north Tulsa, police in Oklahoma said Saturday.
Three men and one woman were shot within a mile of each other in north Tulsa at around 1 a.m. on Friday morning, police said. The body of a fifth victim, a man, was discovered outside a nearby funeral home in the predominantly black part of the city after 8 a.m. on Friday. Police said he was likely shot at about the same time as the others.
All the victims were black, prompting the Rev. Warren Blakney Sr., NAACP Tulsa president, to say that someone appeared to be "targeting black people to shoot.”
"I’m on edge for my people," Blakney said, according to the Tulsa World.
At a Saturday afternoon press conference, Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan said it was too early to know whether the shootings were racially motivated.
"The whole race issue, the hate crime issue, there's a very logical theory that would say that's what it could be, but I'm a police officer, I've got to go by the evidence," Jordan said, adding that no racial slurs had been used by the gunman, Reuters reported.
Jordan had a message for the shooter: "We're coming after you."
Officer Jason Willingham said police were searching for a white man driving a white pickup, which was spotted in the area of three of the shootings. At least two dozen officers are investigating the case, along with the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service, Willingham said.
"We don't have one definitive way where this investigation is headed," Willingham said. "Right now, that's the only thing we have to go on."
The local chapter of the NAACP and other black leaders held an emergency meeting Friday evening at a church to appeal for calm and discuss safety.
When asked if people in the community felt that the shooter was targeting black people, Tulsa City Councilor Jack Henderson replied, "Yes, absolutely," krmg.com reported.
Henderson said people should not let "some crazy, deranged person mess up their weekend," but he added that the community "needs to watch their backs" until the shooter is caught, according to the Tulsa World.
"We have to handle this because there are a number of African-American males who are not going to allow this to happen in their neighborhood," said Blakney, according to The Associated Press. "We're trying to quell the feeling of `let's get someone' and we will make as certain as we can that this isn't pushed under the rug."
Police don't believe the victims knew each other.
"There is no forensic evidence to link at this point," said homicide detective Sgt. Dave Walker. "Timing and location lead us to believe they may be connected."
The FBI is assisting in the investigation as part of a joint city-federal task force, dubbed "Operation Random Shooter," and will determine if any federal laws were broken, said Special Agent Clay Simmonds, FBI spokesman for the state of Oklahoma.
Police identified those killed as Dannaer Fields, 49, Bobby Clark, 54, and William Allen, 31. Fields was found wounded about 1 a.m. Friday, Clarke was found in a street about an hour later, and Allen was discovered in the yard of a funeral home about 8:30 a.m.
Minutes after Fields was found, police found two men with gunshot wounds in another yard two blocks away. They were taken to hospitals in critical condition but expected to survive, police said.
Police Capt. Steve Odom said in his 30 years with the police department, he’d never seen so many shootings happen in such a short time.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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Ill bet you $10,000 the shooter is black...
or Hispanic
You lost that bet Wall Street.
Everyone get ready for a mainstream media bliss. Starting 3 days ago and since the media has openly stated a white man has done something wrong to a black man in their news report. But everyone knows that the media never says the skin color of a black man doing something bad to a white man or woman. The media is on a continuing brain washing tour of impressionable minds. Over in Fort Collins Colorado 4 black foot ball players chased down some ST Patrick day partiers and assaulted them but the partiers had knives to protect themselves. The media said nothing about the partiers being white just that the football players were cut up in the scuffle by unidentified partiers. But that same news station gladly tells the color of oklahomas unidentified shooter. This type of biased coverage is going to be all over the mainstream news like never before because they are trying to cover up the blantant irresponsible news coverage of george zimmerman. Stop watching ABC, NBC, and CBS
It will be good once the shooter(s) are caught/killed etc. Part of the problem with the Black communities is that "Tribal Mentality" it doesn't work, just look at the Indians, they got their 40 acres and a mule didn't they? Look at them now. Drugs, Bastard babies, Violence, Gangs, widespread unemployment, high drop out rates all sorts of Free Government stuff. People need to drop the African - from African-American. I have yet to meet an AA who was actually from Africa. We get it they are proud of their roots, who isn't proud of their heritage? We as Americans need to get our stuff together and clean this crap up, not wait around for the Government to waste millions of dollars creating an Agency that has nice buildings and Offices that does nothing but has meetings and press conferences. (see Bureau of Indian Affairs)
As Black American I've met plenty of African-Americans who came from Africa. Most are immigrants and naturalized citizens from West African states such as Nigeria, Liberia, and Ghana. Just because you as a White American haven't met any doesn't mean they don't exist, and therein lies the problem; many White Americans think they're experts on other races and cultures, when their "facts" consist mostly of personal opnions and racial stereotypes based on limited experience.
Pretentious Racism! . Michael-412302
Really, do you believe the American Indian would be having all these issues if the British had not come over here and decided they wanted all the land and some how or other decided if they wanted it it should be theirs because they have the guns.
Sure there are poeple who are immigrants from West African countries. They are African-Americans in the sense that they most likely hold dual citizenship. If you are born in Chicago to immigrants from Africa and you are not African-American you are an American of African parents. I have roots to Ireland and Europe in my family. I do not call myself European-American, Irish-American or anything other than American. I was born here and I am proud of it. I have friends that are born from families of many different nations and cultures. I call them friends. Not my black friend, not my asian friendand so on. Take away the markers that define people and maybe, just maybe race will go away. As stated, it is great to be proud of your heritage and in a sense it makes you who you are. If you don't want to jump on the wagon and be part of the culture you live in now that being America then there will never be a shift in the divide among us. If people start their comments with I am black and this is why this happened it will never change. If a white person does the same saying I am white that is why this happened it will never change.
Bleeding out all that Colt 45 on the sidewalk. What a waste. My tax dollars bought that berr. I hope they were able to save the rest of that 40 cuz thats good berr.
I have no idea what going on, because I wasn't there. But, my first thought is.. This sounds a lot like gang hits. Whether these guys are part of a gang or once were or have family members in gangs or went against a member of a gang. We don't know because they gave us no background on the victims. But all these shooting in a short amount of time seem like gang hits. My father was a police officer for his whole life and always told me about these kind of things. I hate that they turn around and make it a race thing right off the bat "Targeting blacks" These news sites are absolutely out of line now days. They have no proof of anything, but I guess they'll stoop to any level to get people to read their ridiculous articles.
My brotha said this is the time of the year gangs bring in new recruits and they musta shots someones!
This is either Neo-Nazi or Gangbangers?
Eyewitnesses have said that a white man would go up, ask for directions and shoot. It doesn't sound gang related to me.
He was really asking how much the crack was?
It must be Neo-Nazis...
Sheila...post a link to the eyewitnesses accounts. I can't find that anywhere. Certainly not in this article
Just hit on the local affiliate in the article.
Shelia
This is what it says:
"Detectives were working through tips and leads they had received and were able to discern that a white man driving a white pickup might have been involved."
So.. Where you state that he would go up and ask for directions and shoot them is, I guess made up in your head because no where does it say that. And since they don't have very much information out, maybe the guy was just in the area when one of the shootings took place. Or maybe he did shoot all these people. If they witnessed it, why not report it and have them searching for this man before he killed more people. All of this is within 3 miles so I can't imagine if at witness said what you stated that the police weren't out looking for a white pickup truck in the 3 miles surrounding since police protocol is usually a 5 miles radius.
It is sort of early, maybe the word on the street is just the word they want to hear.
No, I double checked at CNN, it was the two survivors who told police the man pulled up asking for directions and then started shooting.
It's really hard to determine who's trying the hardest to perpetuate racial tension the most in this country... seems like it's a tie between the media and the NAACP.
Until the media and the NAACP scream with the same volume every time blacks kill other blacks, or blacks kill whites, I'm going to continue to treat these knee-jerk media-rush-to-judgement articles for what they really are... sensationalistic race-war bait.
I agree with your comment Jax A. I will for the sake of the discussion disclose that I'm Black. I'm an American first. I also agree that if we would get past labeling ourselves, then, we could possibly move forward in some areas. We're all Americans. If we keep looking back, then, we will never move forward as a people, as a country. It's obvious to me that the media, the NAACP, and even higher powers than them want to keep us divided. It's like a puppetmaster pulling the strings with key people in certain races doing there dirty work. They just sit back and laugh at what we're doing because it's for a specific purpose. It's to keep us divided looking at other things instead of why we don't have jobs and why gas prices are going through the roof. I think that anyone being killed should be investigated without putting a white/black/whatever race slant on it. When I read articles like this, I continue to run in to many more articles like it every day. We are made to concentrate by the media, and other groups, plus the powers that be to look at other things. I could say so much more, but, it saddens me to see day in and day out crime of any kind. I hope that we as a people, American people will wake up. Divided we fall, United we stand. I don't care what race you are, we need to stand together. The enemy isn't the different races. The enemy is the people trying to orchestrate division between the races. Lets wake up please, one person at a time, put our differences aside. I'm willing to do that no matter what. Are you?
Well said Jeff, wish everyone would have the same perspectivewith hopefully less racial divisiveness and hate in this country.
I like these types of stories, because it brings out the one who see racism everywhere and those that think it doesn't exsist anywhere,
and the comments by whites and blacks on this subject always shows how messed-up in the head they really are.
There are two types:
The Everywhere'ers vs The Nowhere'ers
I'm not judging . I believe anyone has the right to be on the street or in their front yard at any time. But I am curious of why these people were on the streets or in their yards at 1AM, "Early Morning". I work and tend to need to sleep in the early morning hours. Any one know out there?
They were black drug dealers? That's the time whites come into the hood to buys crack.
That's why the blacks think it's a white shooter.
My husband works second shift. When he gets home at midnight, he doesn't want to come in and go to bed. Sometimes he is out in the garage tinkering around until 2 or 3 in the morning. I can understand this, I work days and don't just come home and fall into bed.
Let's not kid ourselves, here. We all know the shooter is caucasian, even the ones who're trying to make it sound like it's a black on black crime. It's going to be one of those pedophilic caucasians as usual, in this case and I say to the families who's lives have been devastated by these killings to seek out the families of the @!$%# doing these killings and reap, an eye for an eye.
Really? Why exactly do "we" all "know" this? Explain it to me.
Because that is what the eyewitnesses have stated?
Ummm, unless you're using a broken brill screen to finger read my comment, then you'd see that I've already explained the "Why", part.
you are right! whites goes into the hoods to buy crack, that's why the negros think the shooter was white?
especially the time the shooting occured.
"Negros", come from the African continent of Niger. The people who you are supposedly referring to in this story and their great ancestors, didn't. They are from the Tribes of the Hebrew-Israelites, the True People of God, choosen by God, who turned away from God and were cursed by God as their punishment.
Interesting idea Bryant, "eye for an eye". Since most murders of whites are committed by blacks would you be ok with that situation?
I said, "eye for an eye". I don't care whom it is, but in this case and the case of the kid down in Florida a few weeks ago, the shooter(s) weren't black. Now, were they?
Bryant. You are a disgusting human being. If you even deserve to be called human.
"in this case and I say to the families who's lives have been devastated by these killings to seek out the families of the @!$%# doing these killings and reap, an eye for an eye."
You wish death on innocent people? You are disgusting and I hope you enjoy your miserable life
@ Bryant, don't know who did the shooting in this case as far as I can tell from everything I have read. Now to get to the Florida case. I think Zimmerman is a coward for having to shoot someone. Now with that in mind, if most of the crime that has been committed in their neighborhood has been committed by youth and others that aren't white shouldn't anyone conclude that an unknown person who is not white in an area where non whites are committing most of the crimes be on the look out for non whites not from the neighborhood? I am not saying Zimmerman didn't step over a line but I also imagine that if he saw a person that was another color walking in his neighborhood and this person was not known to him he may have done the same to a degree. Hard to say. Isn't this the very reason neighborhood watch orginizations spring up. You have a certain amount of crime. You want to protect your community from ANYONE unknown to your community.
Bryant , here we go. Eyewitness arent as reliable as you may think. At 1am its dark out , people are all cracked out, and slapp'n some big a$$ be awtch, hear a gun shot and turns to look. What do they see ? A white guy running, cause he was there to buy crack, not get shot, yes he heard the shot too. How could they tell it was a white guy running, he was slow and not wearing a hoodie. They couldn't see they shooter cause he was fast and wearing a hoodie
@Dave C...Yes, neighbor watch programs are there to police the neighborhood from crimes happening, but never have I ever heard tell of someone being shoot in the back and killed for walking through a neighborhood. What one does in the event of what looks like a suspicious person committing a criminal act in a neighborhood watch community, is dial 911 and report it, and wait for authorities to arrive to intervene, not chase down some kid just passing through on a rainy night with his hood covering his head and shoot him in the back. You follow them from a distance and make sure that they are doing just that, passing through and not out to cause trouble. Personally fed up with all of this "Open Season" on the African American Peoples.
There could be many possibilities and or motives for the shootings with the shooter and or shooters being who knows what race, maybe even mixed and or mentally deranged. It's just too early to make assumptions and premature conclusions without more facts. Just as the Martin/Zimmerman case is currently being tried in the court of public opinion fueled by media sensationalism and lame journalism.
@ Bryant, again, I agree and think Zimmerman is a coward, but, when you run you make yourself out to be into something of a menace do you not? Hey, someone sees me I better move quickly. Now, lets talk about "open season". Lets say for this case I am white. Lets say I walk through a predominantly black neighborhood. Lets say I am dressed nicely. What are the chances I am not going to experience anything bad? Do you not think that a someone in that neighborhood wouldn't say, "Hey, look at that white dude with the expensive watch and nice shoes, he aint making it out of here tonight". I hate to say it my man, crime happens both ways. There are neighboorhoods where I grew up that I would never venture into. Chances are you would be a victim of some crime. Now, would people report that crime to the police if they witnessed it?
All depends on who witnessed it happen. Just because there is a "Bad" neighborhood, doesn't make everyone in it, "Bad" people. There is a saying, "....something about a rotten apple(s) at the bottom of a barrel. I can't remember it. But anywho...Even if you're a neighborhood watch captain and you witness someone running away from you,(as you put it), and you're in your vehicle to begin with....wouldn't you just high beam them to get a good description of what they were wearing as you were on the phone with the police, i order to properly give the police a clear description of what type of clothing the supposed perp., was wearing for them to be able to spot him when the canvased the area to find him and question him? But enough of the kids case, let the courts handle that.
Would we all be more comfortable with an equal opportunity killer?
Does Zimmerman have family in Tulsa? (Just trying to add a little levity here)
I hope they capture the culprit(s) soon.
Tyrone Woodfork....... check it out! Blowback?
pfft
I'm sure this isn't gang related because of the age of the victims... Just a non human regardless of the color!!!!!
That's not really a good thing to base it on. Their ages? They could be former gang members, they could be family members of gang members, they could of stepped up against a gang member... there is endless possibilites of what it could be. Just because they were older people doesn't mean it couldn't be gang related. This may or may not be gang related but to base that assumption on their ages is not realistic.
This is sick
yep, that's the country we've all come to love or loathe... surprisingly we really haven't advanced all that much since the middle of last century. Except for the fact, instead of the KKK we call them "Tea Partiers"
No, that is just another brand of stupid. You have your color racists and your economic, social racists.
PRober, you forgot about the protesting terrorists attempting to shut down ports and threatening workers.
My heart goes out to the shooter and his bullets.
Here we go again. Why does the media deliberately do everything it can to stir up the racist in this country?
Racism i.e. ignorance is alive and flourishing in this country. Our soldiers must be so proud to know they are wasting their lives and limbs defending such ignorance.
The shooter was a white junkie and when the negros told him the price he shot them,
This what law enforcement calls: A drug deal gone wrong!
Saw it on the "Wire" and from my brotha who use to be a big time drug dealer
I wonder if whitey is listening to a.m. talk radio as he guns them down? What exactly was playing on the radio at those horrific moments Tulsa time?
You can stop with all the gang related comments because if you look at the ages of the victims, this would rule that out! Whom ever the shooter (s) is, is just a sick non-human.
They woke up feeling like they lmoved to Chicago!!!
Black on black on white on black blabla bla bla jeeeeeeeez people....
I know who it is, It's a Bama-bashing truck driver.......getrrrrrr donnnnne! (wheres my vagasil chew at)
If a white guys says I am nervous for "my people" as the pastor did in referring to the black people shot, the white guy would be called a racist.
You mean like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are called racists? Yes, you're probably right.
I can't even wrap my mind around racism; I don't understand the mentality at all. But, y'know, I absolutely do understand why black Americans are sensitive to it and feel the need to call it out the second it rears its ugly head. Remember, crimes against them have not always been illegal; they have not always been protected by this government.
I feel like it would be ridiculous for me, as a white person, to bitch about being a victim of racism. We've had it good, really, haven't we?
I don't think that Sharpton and Jackson represent all African Americans in their fervency, but I can't say that I blame them, nor do I believe that they are trying to incite a race war.
And white people feeling threatened will always point to the urban ghettos, screaming "what about them?", but that is such an over-simplification an extremely complex cultural and economic situation; we all helped create that.
I have no idea what it would take to make these conversations irrelevant by fixing what's really wrong, but we are so far from it.
Looks like to me the Rev's are probbly the ones doing the shooting or hired someone to do it so they could stir up more crap to get their names in the papers or on tv. Also they are trying to get mo money from their church people by bring them into their house of money along with the other new followers they picked up along the way. Now when they find out the ones who did it are black to save face they will say they were framed LOL Oh go home!!