Last Updated on September 24, 2023, 9:20 AM | Published: September 24, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY — A shooting at the Oklahoma State Fair Saturday night resulted in one person in critical condition at a local hospital and two in custody.
Update — As of 9:20 AM Sunday the victim is still alive.
The shooting happened a little before 9 p.m. Saturday in the Bennett Event Center according to Captain Valerie Littlejohn who held a news conference at the Fairgrounds after the shooting. Littlejohn is the public information officer for the Oklahoma City Police Department.
“We did get two people into custody right now. We’re trying to determine their involvement. It is believed one of those is the shooter,” said Littlejohn who added that a handgun has been recovered from the scene.
The incident happened inside the Bennett Event Center near one set of doors where two groups of young men got into an altercation. During that altercation, one person shot another in the chest who is in critical condition at the hospital at the time of this report.
This is one set of videos supposedly taken inside the Bennett Event Center as the altercation was happening. The doors and the setting in the building look like the Bennett Event Center:
‼️‼️ sensitive video for some. This was sent to us from inside the Bennett Center at the #Oklahoma #statefair – gunshots go off – police confirm that one person was hit. That the scene is under control now pic.twitter.com/SPRIhhjOQ0
— Dylan Brown (@dylantbrown) September 24, 2023
There was a heavy police presence at the State Fair since it was a Saturday night and officials knew the crowds would be large.
As soon as the shots were fired word spread through the crowd across the fairgrounds and people began to run toward the exits. A traffic jam of vehicles waiting to exit the fairgrounds continued on until late in the evening.
After about an hour, the fairgrounds had been cleared with fair workers, police and medical personnel being the only ones still inside the gates.
The OKCPD tactical unit arrived at the fair and helped other officers clear buildings to make sure there were no other problems in other parts of the fair according to Capt. Littlejohn.
Are guns allowed?
Reporters asked whether guns were allowed inside the State Fair. Littlejohn answered that they are not and that all people are supposed to go through metal detectors as they come into the fair.
The State Fairgrounds is a large piece of land in Oklahoma City that stretches from N. May Avenue to I-44, and W. Reno to N.W. 10th Street. The grounds are secured by chain-link fencing but that is all.
Fair to open on time Sunday
Fair officials said after the incident that the fair would open Sunday at the regular time because this was an “isolated incident.”
Sunday is the last day of the Oklahoma State Fair.
We will give updates on the condition of the victim and any booking information on the two currently in custody as we gain reliable information.
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
