Oklahoma City police kill inmate who took officer hostage
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — A detention officer is in the hospital and an inmate was shot and killed after a hostage situation at the Oklahoma County Jail.
It happened around 4 p.m. Saturday. The detention officer went to the tenth floor to provide medicine. Investigators say he was overrun by at least one inmate.
The guard’s radio and keys were taken. Other inmates were also let out of their cells.
The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office and Oklahoma City Police responded, trying to deescalate the situation.
Officials say the suspect was holding the detention officer in a hostage position and allegedly held something to his neck. Police shot and killed the suspect.
The detention officer was taken to the hospital.
“We were able to get the detention officer out safely,” Sheriff Tommie Johnson III said.
Tear gas was used to get the rest of the inmates under control.
Now the investigation is underway.
“This one is very unique because we have a large number of people to interview,” Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley said.
Nichole Mancine, whose fiance is in the jail, said he called her, worried about the situation.
“I said, ‘please stay in your cell, away from everything, try to be safe,’” she said. “He said, ‘I can’t be safe. I’m in harm’s way right now just being in here,’ and he’s scared for his life.”
She says conditions inside the jail may have played a role.
“He just said an inmate got shot and killed and he was just like, ‘I need to get out of here, I knew this was going to happen, I’ve been telling you that they were upset because they wren’t getting enough food, we were all hungry, and they were about to riot,’” she said.
Jail Administrator Greg Williams says they continually look at how things are done.
“We manage those conditions continually. If we come across issues, if we come across physical plant problems, we have contractors come in and help us resolve that so that’s a continual kind of thing,” he said.