BOK Center, Managed By Same Group As Manchester Arena, Prepared For Next Concert

<p>The BOK Center is getting ready for a concert, and in the wake of the terrorist attack in the United Kingdom, Tulsa Police say they&rsquo;re prepared.</p>

Tuesday, May 23rd 2017, 8:19 pm

By: News On 6


British police are still investigating if ISIS or some other group was behind the bombing outside an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester Monday night.

Police have identified Salman Abedi as the suicide bomber who killed 22 people, including 12 children.

5/23/2017 Related Story: Suicide Bomber Identified In Manchester Concert Attack

The bomb exploded shortly after the concert ended, when the crowd, teens mostly, and their parents were filing out of the arena.

At least 60 others were injured.

The company that manages the Manchester arena manages nearly 70 other venues around the world, including Tulsa's BOK Center.

5/23/2017 Related Story: Tulsa's BOK Center, Manchester Arena Run By Same Company

The venue is getting ready for a concert Wednesday night, and in the wake of the terrorist attack in the United Kingdom, Tulsa Police say they’re prepared.

"If you go back to the Boston Marathon bombing, or even go back to 9/11, I think we're always, at that point, started preparing ourselves for the ‘what if,’" Officer Leland Ashley said.

The BOK Center regularly hosts sold out shows for big name artists - in fact, Ariana Grande performed here in February.

The venue regularly draws large crowds, something Tulsa Police monitor while working with BOK staff.

“The large events, you're looking at 11,000, 12,000 people if not more," Ashely said. “We do communicate back and forth with concerns they may have, or concerns we may have, so we do meet with them."

While police feel they are prepared for anything, they say the best tool for preventing tragedy is you.

"People will see something and say, ‘Oh, I don't want to get involved.’ We ask you to get involved," Ashley said.

We reached out to SMG for comment - the company said it’s working with investigators and praying for the families.

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