Tulsa Grandmother Killed In Drive-By Shooting

By Jeffrey Smith, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa Police say a gunman killed a Tulsa grandmother while she was sleeping.  It happened early Saturday morning in north Tulsa. 

The woman's children are now speaking out about their grief.

Not only was Wiletta May Patrick a beloved mother and grandmother, she was also a dedicated Tulsa Public Schools employee for 24 years.  Patrick was killed in a drive-by shooting and her two young grandchildren were injured.

Tulsa Police say the gunmen fired close to 40 rounds into the house.  Police investigators spent hours trying to locate all of the shells.

"I heard just a bunch of gunshots. Just boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom," said neighbor Renee Boyd.

The gunshots rang out at around 3:30 a.m. near Woodrow and Cincinnati.  Police say the gunmen used at least three different guns.

Wiletta May Patrick was sleeping in her bed.  Detectives say she was killed by a single gunshot wound to the head.

 "She woke up to a bullet going through her head. She didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve, it wasn't even meant for her. She's an innocent bystander in the crossfire," said her daughter, Gaylia Patrick. "She was a good woman. My mother was the type of woman who'd take in a stray dog if they didn't have a place to stay."

Police say five people were in the house at the time of the shooting.  Two of Patrick's grandchildren, ages six and one, were also sleeping in the house.

"Fortunately, the two young babies were not injured from the gunshots. They were injured from some of the stuff falling off a display in the house," said Tulsa Police Corporal Dan Miller.

Police say those injuries are minor.  Relatives tell The News On 6 Wiletta Patrick's brother, and his family, had been spending the last few weeks living with her.

 "The things that happened to her today, she didn't deserve it.  She was a very good person," said Patrick's niece, Loucreshia Sire.

Patrick worked for Tulsa Public Schools in the transportation office.

"I feel angry, sadness. I'm confused. We really don't even know what happened over here. And, the sad part is everybody's playing hush mouth, so we don't even know," said Patrick's niece, Loucreshia Sire.

Tulsa Police and Patrick's family are now searching for answers.

Investigators say they have no motive for the shooting and they don't have any descriptions for the suspects.  But, detectives say they are fairly certain that Wiletta Patrick was not the intended target.