OKLAHOMA CITY — Between noon Friday and 12:30 in the dark early hours of Monday, two in OKC had died by gunfire and one by stabbing.
Two of those killed were minors, 15 and 16 years old.
In addition, a juvenile and a police officer were shot and treated for gunshot wounds. They are both expected to recover.
In all, the deaths marked homicides #76, #77, and #78 for the City of Oklahoma City in 2024.
Homicide #76 and police shooting #10
Friday at 1:14 PM, Officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department were dispatched to 6621 Bayberry Drive, a home near the intersection of N. Rockwell and Hefner Road and near Ski Island.
911 had received calls only of “a domestic disturbance.”
But, the first officers to arrive were fired upon immediately, resulting in a shootout. The officers were ambushed by 43-year-old Jerry Yang.
At the same time he was exchanging fire with the officers, Yang shot two juveniles in the home hitting both and killing one.
The juvenile who died from his wounds was 15-year-old Abel Her. Information about the other juvenile has not been released and likely won’t be.
At some point during the shootout, police believe that Yang “turned the gun on himself and died by suicide,” according to the press release from Captain Valerie Littlejohn, OKCPD public information officer.
Two of the officers involved in the gun battle have been placed on routine paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation of what the department terms an “officer-involved shooting.”
Homicide #77
Later on Friday, at 6:28 PM, OKCPD officers responded to reports of a shooting on the near Northside at NW 4th and Kentucky Avenue.
When they arrived they found the victim, 31-year-old Leopoldo Luna lying on the side of the road.
Leopoldo was pronounced dead at that scene.
From their early investigation, detectives believe that “the victim was involved in an argument that escalated to gunfire.”
No arrests have been made. Police ask anyone with information to call the Homicide Tip-Line at 405/297-1200.
Homicide #78
A fatal stabbing inside a residence in the dark early hours of Monday at 12:07 AM was the third homicide of the weekend and the 78th of the year.
The homicide occurred in far southeast OKC at 9704 Gee Drive, only two miles west of the Lake Stanley Draper Marina in Cleveland County.
It was the third homicide of the weekend and homicide #78 for OKC in 2024.
The victim was 16-year-old Ryder Lewis who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police arrested the suspect, 15-year-old Elijah Stephens.
Eventually, Stephens was booked into the Cleveland County juvenile facility on a complaint of murder in the first degree.
Police ask anyone with information to call the Homicide Tip-Line at 405/297-1200.
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
