Police Seek Man Who Reportedly Shot 2 At Tulsa New Year's Party

About 60-70 people were ringing in 2015 at the Nara Café, near 51st and Memorial, when a fight led to shots fired about 3 a.m., witnesses say.

Thursday, January 1st 2015, 8:50 am

By: News On 6

Police Seek Man Who Reportedly Shot 2 At Tulsa New Year's Party

Police have identified a suspect in an early Thursday shooting at a private New Year's party near 51st and Memorial.

About 60-70 people were ringing in 2015 at the Nara Café when a fight led to shots fired about 3 a.m., witnesses say.

Tulsa police are searching for ex-convict Steven Desean Courtney (aka Steezo), who is between 25-35 years old, about 5-foot-11 and 160-180 pounds. TPD said he was wearing a black cap, sunglasses, a white long-sleeved shirt, black scarf and black pants at the party. He is considered armed and dangerous.

Courtney previously has served prison time for drug-related offenses.

If you have any information about Courtney's whereabouts, call CrimeStoppers at 918-596-COPS or 911.

The two people who were wounded were taken to the hospital with wounds to the leg and chest, respectively, and are said to be in serious condition.

A witness told News On 6 the Nara Café was rented for a private party from 1-4 a.m., and he believes the shooter was an uninvited guest. There also was hired security for the event.

Detectives said surveillance video shows an initial fight between patrons was broken up by security guards, but shortly after, the same people began fighting again. Others joined in, and Courtney pulled out a semiautomatic pistol and began shooting into the crowd, police said.

There was a DJ who was playing music at the time the shooting broke out, but he left after shots rang out and is not answering calls from law enforcement, police said. According to TPD Sgt. Dave Walker, officers still need the DJ to make a statement.

Police combed the area for evidence and said a stolen car was found nearby with shell casings inside, but they don't think it was related to the incident at the party.

The owner of the cafe, which is a hookah lounge, said he later found that $1,500 was missing from his cash register, and he believes it was stolen while others were distracted during the commotion.

Police said a third person showed up at a hospital with a gunshot wound to the neck later on Thursday morning, but it is not related to the Nara Cafe shootings. The victim told police he was shot on North Sheridan and has refused to cooperate in that case. TPD verified there was a call for shots fired in that area, and when they arrived, they found people in a parking lot in the 800 block of North Sheridan and a car with bullet holes.