Shooting Victim's Family Speaks

Monday, June 11th 2007, 5:00 pm

By: News On 6

A Tulsa-area family is grieving over Sundayâ€™s shooting death of their father, after an apparent case of road rage. Forty-eight year-old Dale Turney was shot in the chest by 67-year-old Kenneth Gumm in front of numerous witnesses in a River Parks parking lot near 21st street, said police. The News On 6â€™s Steve Berg reports Turney's family is not just upset about his death, but that the alleged shooter has not been charged.

It is the second time in just the past couple of months that a shooter has claimed self-defense. Witnesses in this case say the shooter, Mr. Gumm, "was" threatened. The family of Mr. Turney has its doubts.

"It's just unbelievable. I'm still in shock," said the victimâ€™s stepdaughter Sabrina Potter.

Sabrina Potter has many questions about the death of her stepfather, Dale Turney.

"There's so much I don't understand about why this happened, and how it happened," she said.

Police say they're still not sure what happened exactly while the two men were driving. But once they pulled into a Riverside parking lot on a Sunday afternoon, there were dozens of witnesses, some who indicated to police that Mr. Turney was the aggressor. Witnesses say he blocked in Mr. Gumm's car with his car, and that he physically shoved Mr. Gumm after the two got out of their vehicles. The witnesses also told police that Turney verbally threatened Gummâ€™s life.

That would be out of character for Turney says his daughter-in-law Jessica Silcox.

"I'm torn. I really am. I understand he was an elderly man, but the Dale I know, and the Dale that we loved, wasn't a threatening man. It just doesn't make sense," she said.

In April, a Tulsa man who was walking across the street at 18th and Boston was shot and wounded after an altercation with a driver. He thought the shooter overreacted. So does Turney's family.

"He could have shot him in the arm or the leg if he felt that threatened. He didn't have to shoot him in the chest," Potter said.

We reached Mr. Gumm on the phone. He says he regrets what happened, but he says he didn't know what else to do. He says he didn't realize Mr. Turney had followed him until after he was in the parking lot and blocked in, he also says he didn't do or say anything to escalate the situation and that Mr. Turney was in a rage. Mr. Gumm says Turney told him quote, "You're history," just before Turney shoved him and that he felt his life was threatened.

As for that case back in April, the shooter was charged with reckless use of a firearm. That case is still pending.

Watch the video: Victim's Family Reacts To Fatal Shooting

Related Story:
6/10/2007 Road Rage Argument Turns Deadly