OKLAHOMA CITY — A man is recovering in a local hospital after having been shot with a rifle by a member of the Oklahoma City Police Department Tactical Team.
It is the seventh police shooting for the City of Oklahoma City in 2024.
Monday afternoon patrol and Tactical Team officers were dispatched to 116 SE 41st near Shields Blvd on reports of “a man who had fired a shot at another person,” according to Capt. Valerie Littlejohn, PIO for OKCPD.
When officers arrived, Mario Cruz, 24, “refused officers’ commands to come out. Instead, he chose to barricade himself inside the residence.” said Littlejohn.
He eventually moved into the attic of the home, broke through a gable in the roof and fired at officers. None were hit.
Cruz then crawled through the hole, jumped to the ground and ran around the side of the house and into the back yard which was being covered by officers.
According to Littlejohn, Cruz then “confronted officers with a pistol.” At that point, Cruz was shot with a rifle by a member of the OKCPD Tactical Team.
That member of the Tac Team is Sgt. Jesus Hernandez, a seven-year veteran of the force.
The internal investigation of the officer now begins as he goes on routine administrative leave.
In police shootings – internally termed “officer-involved shootings” – the officer goes on paid administrative leave while evidence is gathered by OKCPD investigators.
Then, that information is turned over to Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna who has determined that all officer involved shootings will go before a grand jury to decide whether to bring charges against the officer.
Once that decision has been made, then the internal investigation moves forward after questions about whether the shooting was a crime have been resolved.
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.