Tulsa Man Killed At House Party Was 1st Year Football Player At Massachusetts College

We are learning new information about a young man shot and killed at a Tulsa house party.

Police said 19-year-old Desmond Clayton is from Tulsa, but was a first year football player at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts.

The University released a statement saying “Desmond Clayton was a confident and outgoing member of the team whose big personality would light up any room."

Police said Clayton was in Tulsa visiting when he was shot several times.

Police said they found shell casings from three different guns, so they believe there was more than one shooter.

Officers said the person who rented the home told police there were at least 25 people at the party.

Clayton was a freshman at Fitchburg State and had been recruited as a running back. The season had been canceled because of Covid-19.

Police said the other people at the party wouldn't cooperate with police.

"That makes this homicide really hard to investigate. We know there are individuals that saw what happened, and they are refusing to talk to us. They are refusing to help solve this homicide and that's really frustrating for our homicide detectives,” said Officer Jeanne Pierce with Tulsa Police.

If you have any information call Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS.

Fitchburg State University's full statement:

“Our campus community mourns the untimely passing of Desmond Clayton, a first-year student and member of our football team. We have been in touch with Desmond’s family to offer our condolences and support during this difficult time, and we ask our entire community to keep his family and friends in their thoughts. 

The university reminds students that its Counseling Services staff is available to them as they process this tragedy. 

Football Coach Scott Sperone said Desmond was a confident and outgoing member of the team whose big personality would light up any room. Coach Sperone, in his first year as Fitchburg State’s head football coach, called a virtual team meeting on Saturday morning and encouraged the players to support one another in these difficult times.”