News of a mass shooting taking place in Tulsa, Oklahoma is being reported by several national and local news outlets. The New York Times is reporting the following:
A man carrying a rifle and a handgun opened fire in a medical office building in Tulsa, Okla., on Wednesday afternoon, killing four people and injuring several others before apparently taking his own life in the latest mass shooting to shock the country, the authorities said.
This mass murder suicide appears to be perpetrated by the shooter on purpose. According to law enforcement on the scene this was not a random shooting.
In an interview late Wednesday night, Capt. Richard Meulenberg of the Tulsa Police Department said the attack was not random.
“This wasn’t an individual who just decided he wanted to go find a hospital full of random people,” he said. “He deliberately made a choice to come here and his actions were deliberate.” Captain Meulenberg declined to say any more about the gunman’s motive.
The identity of the shooter has not been revealed by the authorities yet. The article went on to detail the events leading up to and during the shooting.
The police received a call about a shooting at 4:52 p.m., and they arrived at the scene four minutes later, Chief Dalgleish said. All of the gunfire is believed to have taken place in one section of the second floor of the Natalie Medical Building on the campus of Saint Francis Hospital, he said. The sound of gunfire drew officers to that area.
“There is an orthopedic center, an orthopedic office, there, but I’m unaware if that occupies the whole floor, or if there are other offices on the floor,” he said, adding that it was “at least part of the scene.”
As police officers arrived at the second-floor entryway, the gunfire stopped, Captain Meulenberg said in a telephone interview. Officers entered and immediately found a victim, and as they continued their search, they found the body of the gunman, who had apparently shot himself with a pistol, he said.
Chief Dalgleish said that the victims could have been a combination of workers and patients. None of the wounded had life-threatening injuries, the police said, and no officers were injured in the attack, during which the gunman fired both his weapons.
Response from authorities from both the national and local levels have already come in. Joe Biden has already been briefed on the situation. Here is the statement by the White House:
The White House released a statement: President Biden has been briefed on the shooting in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The White House is closely monitoring the situation and has reached out to state and local officials to offer support.
Mayor GT Bynum has also released a statement. Here is what he posted on Facebook:
A great tragedy occurred tonight on sacred ground in our city. Please think of ways you can show all the health care heroes of Saint Francis Health System how our community loves and supports them. Every day for decades they have been there to save lives. We will be there for them in the difficult days ahead. I want to thank the first responders from a broad range of agencies – local, federal, state and tribal – who all came to the scene immediately today with no hesitation. Seeing them work together as one team to protect those in danger was deeply moving. I am relying on those first responders for accurate information about this tragedy, and encourage everyone else to do the same. The Tulsa Police Department will provide regular updates as this investigation progresses.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt released the following:
What happened today in Tulsa is a senseless act of violence and hatred. Sarah and I are praying for the families of those who lost their lives and for those who were injured. I am grateful for the quick and brave actions of the Tulsa Police Department and other first responders who did their best to contain a terrible situation. I have offered Mayor G.T. Bynum any state resources that may be needed, and I ask all Oklahomans to come together in support of the Saint Francis Health System community and to grieve with those whose lives have been forever changed.
There have been a host of other statements by officials regarding the situation. One thing is clear, the entire nation has begun to pray for the victims and those wounded during this horrendous attack. Details are still unfolding. It is worth noting that this event takes place as conversation related to gun control has intensified. Nancy Pelosi in recent days has also vowed that she will be presenting assault rifle legislation to the floor of the House very shortly.
Most heartbreaking of all is the news that many are receiving that their loved ones are the ones that were taken in this shooting.
Just received word that my friend was one of those killed in today’s Tulsa shooting. The silence waiting on her text over the past couple of hours was deafening and the dread of hearing the final news gut wrenching. Pray for her family and the other 4 families. #heartbroken
— Jeff Jankowski (@jeffokpt) June 2, 2022
This is the latest in a series of shootings happening all over the U.S. In fact, this is the second shooting within a week in Tulsa alone.
Response from those online has been very strong. Here is a tweet that sums up the feelings of many Americans:
It is going to be brutally sad whenever these victim names are released from the Tulsa shooting. Decades spent helping sick and injured people just to die like this. Freaking sick of it. Grocery stores, schools, hospitals,
— Dylan Goforth (@DGoforth918) June 2, 2022
While the sentiment is felt across the political spectrum, the solution to deal with this issue are very different. What route the government takes in response to this shooting and the others before it is yet to be seen. The news is still coming out and we will issue updates as they become available.
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