Man Involved In Fatal Shooting Gives His Side Of The Story

If you ask him he knows exactly how long it's been. Nine days ago Kenneth Gumm shot and killed a man at the River Parks near 21st and Riverside in Tulsa. It's been called a case of road rage,

Tuesday, June 19th 2007, 9:00 pm

By: News On 6

If you ask him he knows exactly how long it's been. Nine days ago Kenneth Gumm shot and killed a man at the River Parks near 21st and Riverside in Tulsa. It's been called a case of road rage, but Gumm says that's only half right. The News On 6â€™s Steve Berg spoke with Gumm who says there was no rage on his part. He reports Gumm says he was only defending himself from Dale Turney, but he says he still feels bad about what happened.

"I'm sorry for him and I'm sorry for his family, but I don't know what else I could have done," Kenneth Gumm said.

Kenneth Gumm says he's speaking out because he's concerned the public, and especially Dale Turney's family, has misconceptions about him and what happened that day in a River Parks parking lot. For one thing, he says he was turning into the parking lot to listen to a band playing at the River's Edge restaurant, not to initiate a confrontation with Turney. In fact, he says he wasn't aware Turney was mad at him until he was going into the lot, and he says Turney yelled at him and continued on down Riverside.

"Whatever I did, or he perceived that I did, to set him off I have no idea," Gumm said.

He says he got out of his car to head for the restaurant when Turney's car pulled in, blocking his. He says Turney got out and looked angry.

"And the first thing he said was 'You're history,' and I pulled my gun out and pointed it at him and I thought that would deescalate the situation, but it didn't. He just kept coming," said Gumm.

Gumm says Turney backed him around his car two or perhaps three times. He says Turney accused him of tailgating and said â€œYou don't mess with me.â€ He says Turney caught up to him and shoved him, and he says that's when he shot Turney in the chest.

"People have asked me was there anything else I could have done, I don't think there is,â€ Gumm said. â€œMy car was locked, he was right on me all the time, there's no way I could have gotten in my car. With my health issues, it was the best I could do just to keep away from him as long as I did."

Gumm hasn't changed his mind about carrying a gun, or what could have happened if he didn't have it.

"I think I could have been hurt very badly. He's 20 years younger than me, he was pretty big, I don't think he was especially tall, but he looked like he was pretty heavy, pretty stocky to me," said Gumm.

The District Attorneyâ€™s office is still reviewing the case to see if any charges should be filed. Gumm says witnesses at the scene will back up his story.

Watch the video: Man Involved In Road Rage Shooting Speaks

Related stories:

6/10/2007 Road Rage Argument Turns Deadly

6/11/2007 Shooting Victim's Family Speaks