Norman Police Investigating After Shooting In Walker Arts District

Norman police are investigating a homicide and officer-involved shooting. Officers describe this as rare for the area, but a man who works nearby said this was bound to happen. 

Brian Updegraff works at Hall of Tattoos. He said he was at work when he started hearing gunfire. 

“When I heard a pop at first, I thought it was a gunshot and then I heard two more pops and then I opened the door and thought maybe it was a car backfiring. I go to shut the door and then I heard another,” Updegraff said. 

Officers were responding to a shooting call. They said when they found the suspect and started giving him commands, he started shooting. 

Officers then fired back. At last check- the suspect was in the hospital. 

“You can tell the difference. You could hear the small caliber gun going off and you can hear the large caliber gun going off when they defended themselves,” Updegraff said. 

Police said the victim from the original shooting was found dead and another victim was taken to the hospital. Updegraff said this all took place in his employee parking lot in the heart of the Walker Arts District. 

“We've been here since ‘06. We've only had problems in the last few years. Ever since that homeless shelter moved back there it's just been ongoing problems with aggression and violence behind us. We've never had a problem up until then,” Updegraff said. 

Updegraff said last night didn't surprise him at all if anything, it just made him even more fed up. 

“I mean the cops are back there arresting somebody almost every other day. This is an art district you know what I mean we've spent the last 15 years trying to build an art community here,” Updegraff said. 

The Mayor of Norman said an update will be released Monday after the District Attorney reviews the police bodycam video.