Detectives Investigate Recent Murders

After Monday's murder in North Tulsa, many people are speculating it's connected to or in retaliation for last week's double murder of two teenagers with gang ties. The people not speculating are homicide detectives. They say it's too soon to know if there's any connection.

News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright reports, whenever people associated with gangs are involved in shootings or murders, a lot of people say, it's gang related. But, police say the motive may not be gang affiliation. It may be over a girl or more likely, over a drug deal gone bad.

They say jumping to conclusions is the fastest way to get a case off track.

Police say the victim in Monday's murder, Robert Holmes, Junior, went to that location for what he thought was a drug deal. But, when he leaned into the car, he was shot by the driver.

They say the passenger then jumped out and stole something from Holmes' pants pocket. Great eye-witnesses helped officers quickly get both men.

"They stood up and told us exactly what they saw. We admire them and respect them," said Sgt. Mike Huff, Tulsa Police Major Crimes.

Police say the driver and shooter is 21-year-old Allyn Chatman, who's paralyzed from the waist down after being shot a few years ago.

Records show he admitted shooting Holmes but, said it was self-defense after Holmes tried to rob him. They say the passenger is 22-year-old Ian Barnett.

Whether this has anything to do with last week's double homicide, police are investigating.

"Everything we do is geared toward getting into a court of law and swearing under oath. It's easy for people to think they can connect the dots. But, you have to have witnesses and evidence that connect those dots," said Sgt. Huff.

Officers say they often see the same names pop up, because the community involved in such violence is relatively small.

They say it can take time to discover the actual motive.

Three dozen children were at the Salvation Army day camp, learning how to avoid a dangerous path in life, when the shooting happened right outside. The camp has a plan it practices for just such events.

"As soon as shots were fired, we put the building on lockdown; locked the doors and didn't let anyone go in or out and kept all the kids away from walls, windows and in a safe place," said Brad Borror, Salvation Army.

Counselors were there to talk to any kids who needed to. Four or five of them did.

There have also been a couple of non-fatal drive-by shootings and police say it's also too soon to know if any of those are connected.

Despite this recent rash of violence, the truth is Tulsa is below the five-year average for gun violence and we're currently on track to have one of the lowest murder rates we've had in years.