At least 13 people were hurt in a mass shooting during a party at a campground in Oklahoma on Sunday night, authorities said.
Details of the Incident
The shooting took place at Spring Creek Park on Arcadia Lake, approximately 15 miles northeast of downtown Oklahoma City. Gunfire erupted around 9pm during a gathering of young people. Edmond Police Department spokesperson Emily Ward stated in a media briefing late Sunday that no arrests had been made. The heavily wooded area has slowed the search for evidence and a possible suspect, according to local CBS affiliate 9News.
“This is obviously a very terrifying situation and we understand the concern from the public and those involved and we are working extremely hard to find the suspects,” Ward said. “We’re kind of all over the metro speaking with victims and witnesses.”
National Context
According to the Gun Violence Archive, this incident marks the 131st mass shooting in the US so far this year. The organization defines a mass shooting as any event where at least four victims are injured or killed, excluding the shooter. The persistently high rates of mass shootings in the US have prompted calls for stricter gun control, though Congress has not enacted significant reforms.
Victim and Witness Accounts
Ten victims were transported to hospital by ambulance, while several others drove themselves, Ward said. Those injured are in “various conditions.” A witness who identified himself as Armani Kessee told KWTV News in a video posted to Instagram that he and a friend aided a female victim who was shot. “She said she had got hit with a stray bullet,” he said. “It’s very sad to see someone that you know, that you love … it’s a very hard thing.”
Health officials reported that ten people were being treated at Integris Health Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City, and three were at Integris Health Edmond hospital as of Monday morning.
Event and Location
The Associated Press reported that a flyer on social media had promoted an event called Sunday Funday scheduled for Sunday evening at Spring Creek Park. Arcadia Lake is an artificial reservoir popular with anglers, boaters, and campers. Edmond, a suburb of Oklahoma City with about 100,000 residents, was also the site of a deadly workplace shooting in August 1986, when postal worker Patrick Sherrill shot 20 coworkers, killing 14, before taking his own life.
