POLICE: 16-YEAR-OLD BOY KILLED AT DEL CITY-CHOCTAW FOOTBALL GAME

Choctaw, Del City High school football game in Choctaw Friday, August 24, 2023 at football game.

CHOCTAW, Okla. –

An argument Friday night on the visitor’s side of Bill Jensen Field in Choctaw led to a deadly shooting at an Oklahoma high school football game, police said.

In a press release sent to media Saturday morning, Choctaw Police Chief Kelly Marshall confirmed that a 16-year-old boy had died. His name has not been released, but Marshall said he was neither a student at Choctaw High School nor at Del City High School. The Del City Eagles were in Choctaw to face the Yellowjackets in Week 0 of the high school football season.

A 42-year-old man was shot in the chest as well, Marshall confirmed. He was transported to a local hospital where he spent most of the night in surgery. Police added that several people at the scene contributed life-saving measures on the man.

From the press release sent by Choctaw Police:

Choctaw Superintendent David Reid, Choctaw Safety Coordinator Steve Keiffer and his brother who is a trauma surgeon began life saving efforts on the 42-year-old who had sustained the gun shot to his chest.

One “young female” was also shot in her thigh, treated and then released.

In all, there were five injuries due to the incident, police said, including two girls believed to be students who were hurt trying to escape the scene. One sustained a broken wrist, and the other a broken leg.

The shooting also involved an off-duty Del City Police officer, according to Police Chief Loyd Berger.

“One of our officers was involved and discharged his weapon. As far as who or if he hit anything, I really don’t know at this point,” said Berger.

Berger said that two of his officers were at the game to help with security.

According to the press release from Choctaw Police, several law enforcement institutions are cooperating on the investigation.

The Choctaw Police Department is investigating the homicide and is being assisted by the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, Del City Investigators are working in conjunction as well. The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office Technical Investigators responded to the scene and processed the evidence.

Multiple video broadcasts from the game showed players and fans running away from the Del City side of the stadium after at least two gunshots.

Three people were detained at the time, but the Choctaw Police chief said Friday night that she could not confirm that they had anything to do with the shooting. Marshall said nobody was in custody for this shooting.

News 9 received a joint statement early Saturday morning from school officials in Del City and Choctaw:

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all affected by tonight’s incident. Both districts are working jointly with the police presence from Choctaw, Del City, and Oklahoma County in an ongoing investigation. The police will provide further details as they become available. 

David Reid, Superintendent Choctaw-Nicoma Park

Dr. Rick Cobb, Superintendent Mid-Del

The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association released a statement Saturday morning.

The OSSAA is deeply saddened and concerned with the shootings that took place last night at high school football games in Oklahoma. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who was in attendance. We have offered our assistance and support to all the schools involved as they continue to gather details.

During live coverage late Friday and early Saturday on News 9, a Del City parent talked to News 9’s Deanne Stein about what she witnessed.

“(My daughter) called me and told me she and some other students were up under a bleacher, and all I could hear was just screaming and crying and yelling,” said Christina Goodwin.

She said her daughter heard gunfire and that it sounded like people were shooting back and forth at each other before everybody took off running.

“I asked her if she was OK, and she said she was OK,” Goodwin added.

She said that everybody there was “crying and scared,” and it led Goodwin to prayer.

“I just started praying for her and them, and that God would watch over them,” Goodwin said.