Tulsa Man Shot In The Head Still Alive

By Ashli Sims, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- A Tulsa father is fighting for his life after he was shot in the head on Monday evening.  The 48-year-old victim is in critical condition at a Tulsa hospital.  Police are searching for five young men, who are accused of shooting him, then taking aim on an eyewitness.

What's so shocking about this shooting isn't just that it happened in broad daylight, but shots rang out right across the street from a school not far from where kids were playing a baseball game.

Witnesses say rapid gun fire rang out Monday evening at the Seminole Hills Apartment Complex.

"I got called out here. They're screaming on the phone that Troy just got shot," said the victim's nephew, Donald Samuels.

Tulsa Police say they found Troy Ruffin shot in the head near a light blue car.  Officers believe the shooters were inside the complex, when they opened fire.

"Some 15 or 16-year-old kids come round the corner and shoot a grown man who never did nothing to nobody out here but help somebody.  They took one of God's kids. It hurts," said the victim's nephew, Donald Samuels.

Police say the five young men took off running west toward Trenton Avenue.  Investigators say that's when a man in a white pickup truck spotted them.

"They saw him look at them. And, they raised their guns and fired shots at his vehicle. His vehicle got struck one time in the windshield. He did not get hit. He's OK," said Tulsa Police Sgt. Virgil Litterell.

Between the two shootings, many were surprised the rain of gun fire didn't hit more victims.  The shooting happened near a school and during a nearby baseball game.

"I'm thanking God that the kids didn't get hit. But, more importantly, I'm thanking God that it was just one person that got hit. And not a whole bunch of people. Ya know," said the victim's nephew, Donald Samuels.

Samuels says 48-year-old Ruffin is just an all around nice guy.

"He was never a problem-maker. He was always somebody who was happy cheerful. Some people have their faults, but I couldn't find a flaw in this man," said the victim's nephew, Donald Samuels.

Samuels says violence like this makes him think parents need to stop sparing the rod."I don't care what DHS say, whip your child, cause it don't make no sense for this to be going on. I mean it's everywhere," said the victim's nephew, Donald Samuels.