As tornado sirens blared across Oklahoma City on Tuesday evening, a group of people huddled outside an OnCue convenience store found the doors locked, and the video of that moment has lit up local social media. The clip, recorded at the Portland Avenue location, touched a raw nerve in storm country and reignited a familiar question: when the weather turns suddenly dangerous, where are people actually supposed to go for shelter? OnCue says it is now reviewing the incident and insists the safety of customers and staff remains a top priority, according to KOKH.
The viral video, shot at the OnCue near Portland Avenue and Northwest 10th Street, shows would-be customers outside tugging at the doors while a sign on the glass reads, "Due to storms Closed til 7:45," as reported by KOKH. According to the station, the clip has pulled in more than 358,000 views and nearly 1,000 comments, many of them from residents upset that people were left standing out in severe weather.
OnCue President Laura Aufleger responded in an email to KOKH, saying the company is "reviewing and evaluating the situation" and that store surveillance "shows that they were not on site when the initial sirens began and doors were secured." She said employees told customers already inside that they could shelter in the store's restrooms and reiterated that the company's severe-weather protocol directs staff to bring people indoors as a refuge before locking the doors.
Local meteorologists and news outlets have been quick to remind residents that convenience stores are not guaranteed storm shelters and can become risky spots if crowds gather at the entrances. As reported by KOCO, KOCO meteorologist Joseph Neubauer cautioned that staying in vehicles during a tornado warning is dangerous and that clustering around storefronts can create its own hazards.
Why OnCue Says This Happened
OnCue has also pointed out that its participation in the Safe Place program is designed for youth in crisis, not as a stand-in for a public storm-shelter network, as explained on the company's site. The OnCue news page highlights the Safe Place partnership and related training at multiple locations, and the chain maintains that its written protocol is to get people inside, account for everyone, and then secure the building. Critics, however, are not satisfied with that explanation and argue that businesses operating in tornado alley should think harder about how to avoid leaving anyone outside during an active warning.
The company says the situation is still under review and that it is taking the community's concerns "extremely seriously." For official guidance on watches and warnings and to find designated shelters, residents are urged to rely on the National Weather Service in Norman and local emergency management resources.
