Oklahoma Casino Parking Lot Is Site of Deadly Shooting

Posted on: November 21, 2023, 09:23h. 

Last updated on: November 22, 2023, 11:26h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More

Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

A person was shot and killed in the parking lot of Bartlesville, Oklahoma’s Osage Casino & Hotel early Tuesday. The shooter fired at the victim after the person tried to drive away with a police officer holding onto the vehicle, according to police reports.

At about 5 a.m. Tuesday, an unnamed tribal police officer attempted to remove the shooting victim from a vehicle. He was unsuccessful, and the eventual victim began driving away with the officer apparently holding onto his vehicle, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) spokesman Hunter McKee told Tulsa, Oklahoma’s KOTV TV station.

Officer Dragged

It appears the officer was dragged as the vehicle continued on the pavement. Then a bystander shot the driver, who later died.

The officer didn’t suffer serious injuries, according to initial reports.

Police apparently have a possible suspect in the case. But it’s unclear if that person is in custody or if he will be charged.

Initial rumors said the victim was shot by a tribal police officer. That led police to issue a statement later on Tuesday that “Earlier reports that an Osage Nation Police Officer was responsible for this shooting are false.”

In fact, neither the victim nor the suspect are tribal members, Tulsa TV station WTUL reported. Nor were they casino employees. The victim’s identity hasn’t yet been released.

Possible Vehicle Theft

The dead man is suspected of stealing a vehicle, according to Oklahoma TV station KOCO. The vehicle may have been a blue pickup truck. The fatally wounded man also reportedly stole credit cards.

The OSBI is handling the investigation with assistance from the Osage Nation Police Department and Osage Casino & Hotel security staff.

Officers spoke to witnesses in the parking lot and gathered other evidence after the shooting.

Over the weekend, someone else was stabbed at the casino complex, according to KOTV, although there’s been no word on their condition.

The Osage Casino & Hotel in Bartlesville is located near Highway 60. It’s one of seven properties owned and operated by the Osage Tribal Council.

The Osage Casino & Hotel Bartlesville opened last Thursday, according to 500 Nations, a tribal news site. The complex replaced a prior Osage casino. The earlier property opened in Bartlesville in 2006.

The new gaming property has 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 the highest importance,” the casino said in a statement on Tuesday. “The casino hotel remains open as the investigation continues.”