Tulsa Prosecutor Recovering After Being Stabbed by Daughter

Tulsa District Attorney candidate Steve Kunzweiler, left, chats with his daughter Jennifer Kunzweiler during his watch party in the Republican runoff election on Aug. 26, 2014, in Tulsa, Okla. Kunzweiler was recovering Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, at his home in Tulsa, one day after police said he was stabbed by his adult daughter. Jennifer Kunzweiler, 30, was arrested following the stabbing at his home, according to a social media post Tuesday night by Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin. (James Gibbard/Tulsa World via AP)

An Oklahoma prosecutor who police said was stabbed by his adult daughter, on Wednesday called for more state funding for mental illness programs.

“(Tuesday) my family endured one of the toughest days in our lives,” Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said in an approximately nine-minute statement to reporters before leaving without taking questions.

“The elected leaders of our state, the elected leaders of our state Legislature need to make this a priority,” and increase funding for mental health treatment, said Kunzweiler, 60, who showed no visible sign of the attack.

Jennifer Kunzweiler, 30, was arrested following the stabbing at Kunzweiler’s home Tuesday, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said on Twitter.

“Tulsa Police has criminal jurisdiction and will work this case like all other cases,” Franklin wrote.

Police Capt. Richard Meulenberg said Wednesday that Jennifer Kunzweiler was taken to a hospital after her arrest at the family home, where she also lived. She was treated for self-inflicted cuts sustained before she stabbed her father in the arm and midsection.

A motive for the stabbing remained under investigation, according to Meulenberg.

“We know there is some mental illness here,” Meulenberg said, “but we haven’t interviewed her” to determine a motive.

Jennifer Kunzweiler remained hospitalized Wednesday and will likely face a charge of domestic violence with a dangerous weapon when released, Meulenberg said.

Meulenberg said Tulsa police have no record of previous criminal contact with Jennifer Kunzweiler and online court records show no charges on her record.

Steve Kunzweiler, a Republican who was first elected district attorney in 2014 and won reelection in 2018, is unopposed for reelection in November.

The stabbing is the third of an elected official in Oklahoma in recent years.

Tulsa District Judge Sharon Holmes was wounded in a stabbing at her home by her adult daughter, Adrienne Smith, in 2019.

State Labor Commissioner Mark Costello was killed in a 2015 when he was stabbed in a restaurant parking lot in Oklahoma City by his adult son, Christian Costello, in 2015.