A late-night domestic disturbance in southwest Oklahoma City ended in deadly gunfire Tuesday, leaving one man dead in a front yard and a juvenile suspect in custody, according to police. Officers pronounced the man dead at the scene after finding him with gunshot wounds, and investigators say they are still working to untangle exactly what led up to the shooting.
The Oklahoma City Police Department has not released the relationship between the victim and the juvenile, and officials say the case remains very much an active investigation.
What police say
According to KOCO, officers were called to the area of Mustang Road and Southwest 36th Street after a report of a domestic disturbance. When they arrived, they found the man suffering from gunshot wounds in the front yard and began processing the scene for evidence.
News 9 reported that one person was taken into custody at the scene. At the time, authorities had not yet released any names or announced formal charges.
Suspect described as juvenile
Local station KOCO reported that the person detained is a juvenile and that investigators confirmed the incident was domestic in nature. KOCO also noted that it remained unclear how the two were related and that the case was still under active investigation.
Legal process for juvenile suspects
Under Oklahoma's juvenile code, juveniles are typically prosecuted in juvenile court unless the district attorney seeks to have them certified to stand trial as adults. That decision depends on the juvenile's age, the alleged offense and a motion from prosecutors, according to Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes. If a judge approves adult certification, the case moves to district court. If not, the matter stays in juvenile court and is handled through the Office of Juvenile Affairs.
What happens next
Detectives are continuing to process evidence from the scene and interview witnesses to reconstruct what happened before the fatal shots were fired. The Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office will review the completed investigation and decide whether to file charges, News 9 reported.
For now, officials are keeping a tight lid on further details while they try to piece together the full story behind the deadly domestic call.
