Sex Offender Released From Jail Kills 6, Bomb Squad Responds to Suspicious Package Downtown OKC, Governer Vetoes Tribal Regalia Bill: This Week’s Top News Stories

Tragic Oklahoma Shooting: Convicted Sex Offender Takes 6 Lives Before Turning Gun on Himself

A convicted sex offender, Jesse McFadden, shot six people in the head, including his wife and her children, before killing himself in Oklahoma. The victims were identified as Ivy Webster, Brittany Brewer, Rylee Allen, Tiffany Guess, Michael Mayo, and Holly McFadden. The shooting occurred after McFadden failed to appear at his jury trial, where he faced charges of soliciting and possessing images of child sex abuse. McFadden sent ominous text messages to his young accuser hours before the trial, blaming her for ending his “great life” and vowing not to return to prison.

McFadden was released three years early despite new charges that he used a contraband cell phone to trade nude images with the lady. Victims’ families are questioning why. In 2003, McFadden received a 20-year sentence for first-degree rape of a 17-year-old. Despite the new charges, he was released in 2020 after 16 years and nine months. Republican state Rep. Justin Humphrey is drafting legislation to prevent future tragedies.

According to a database kept by The AP, USA Today, and Northeastern University, the discovery of the victims might increase the number of mass killings this year above 100. Victims’ families want justice for McFadden’s release. Justin Webster, whose daughter was a victim, pledged to “tell Ivy’s story and our story and get our government officials and everybody to start speaking up loud and keeping those pedophiles in jail.” The shooting shocked the community and mourned the victims.

Source: Convicted sex offender fatally shot 6 people in Oklahoma, then himself, police say – CBS News

Downtown OKC Breathes Sigh of Relief: Suspicious Package Safely Cleared from Scene

Downtown Oklahoma City residents and workers were on high alert Thursday evening after a suspicious package was found on Northwest 5th Street and North Harvey Avenue. The brown paper and string-wrapped parcel was immediately investigated by the bomb squad. After a thorough examination, authorities determined that the package contained clothes, not a bomb.

Eyewitnesses said police promptly cordoned off the area to protect the people. After arriving, the bomb squad utilized a robot to meticulously inspect the package. After several hours, they determined it was clothes and not a bomb.

The incident disrupted downtown, but police commended the quick response and informed the public that there is no longer a threat. Residents may rest easy as investigators establish who left the package and why.

Source: Scene Cleared After Suspicious Package Found In Downtown OKC

Oklahoma Governor Strikes Down Bill Allowing Tribal Regalia at Graduations: The Impact on Cultural Representation

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has vetoed a bill that would have allowed Native American students to wear tribal regalia at graduation and other school functions. The bill, SB 429, aimed to stop schools from banning students from wearing Native American regalia during such events. In his veto message, Stitt argued that schools should be able to set their own dress codes. He also expressed concern that passing the bill would lead to a slippery slope of dress-code exemptions. Several tribal nations in Oklahoma have criticized the veto, arguing that it would have allowed students to honor their heritage and traditions.

The vetoed bill was not controversial and had no costs for the state or schools. It would have allowed Native American students in Oklahoma to wear tribal regalia at school ceremonies, which is currently protected by Oklahoma law. The bill aimed to make those rights more clear, so public school administrators do not mistakenly violate them. The legislation was approved by the legislature with nearly unanimous, bipartisan votes. However, Stitt vetoed the bill, along with several others, after threatening to veto all Senate bills until his education plan is passed.

The veto has drawn criticism from national organizations as well. The National Indian Education Association (NIEA) called upon the Oklahoma Senate for a veto override on the legislation, which it described as popular and bipartisan. The organization argued that the veto sends a clear sign to Native American students that state leadership does not respect the political relationship between the 30 Tribal Nations and the state of Oklahoma. NIEA urged lawmakers not to let partisan dissension get in the way of protecting the religious and cultural rights of students.

Source: Oklahoma Governor vetoes graduation tribal regalia bill

Discover the Luxurious 17,000 Sq Ft Oklahoma Home with Three Wet Bars and a Stunning Conservatory – Exclusive Gallery Inside!

A stunning estate in Newcastle, Oklahoma has gone viral on Facebook and is up for sale for $3.9 million. The gated home, located at 3900 N Grant Drive, is being sold by the Wyatt Poindexter Group. The 16,841 square foot home boasts three bedrooms, five bathrooms, and a one-mile driveway, among other luxurious features.

The listing for the home highlights its granite columns, limestone flooring, soaring ceilings, and panoramic views of downtown Oklahoma City, Norman, and Chickasha. Additionally, the home includes a home gym, a two-story primary suite with his/hers bathrooms and closets, and a conservatory/swim room. There are also three wet bars and a sub-zero fridge.

The home was built in 1999 and has gained attention on social media for its stunning features. Anyone interested in taking a tour of the estate can view the photo gallery on the listing. For those with a spare $4 million, this Newcastle estate could be yours.

Source: GALLERY: Oklahoma home features nearly 17,000 square feet, three wet bars and conservatory | KOKH

How an Oklahoma Roofing Company Leveraged Technology to Recover Stolen Equipment

Oklahoma-based Stronghold Roofing has utilized new technology to track down items that were stolen from an OKC job site by an out-of-state contractor with another company. The company used a cellphone to track an Airtag, which had been placed on a box of materials, and found the stolen items across town with the help of the Oklahoma City police. The theft cost the company $7,000 and serves as a warning to other contractors to ensure their materials are secure.

Zach Simmons, vice president of Stronghold Roofing, said that the company did a headcount of its materials at the end of the day and realized a few boxes were missing. After validating that one of the Airtags was not in the office, the company was able to track down its location to another site by another contractor that was currently under construction. The company found several boxes of materials stolen, and with the help of the Oklahoma City police, they found the materials already used across town.

Stronghold Roofing said that it is not pressing charges because it cannot prove which employee took the materials. The corporation claimed the incident warns other contractors. “It’s an assurance for us,” Simmons added. The folks who work with us know what we send out and can track it down and recover or keep it safe.” The company’s use of innovative technologies to find the stolen products underscores the importance of securing job site materials.

Source: Oklahoma roofing company finds stolen equipment thanks to tech

Oklahoma’s Abortion Laws Fail Women in Medical Emergencies

Oklahoma’s abortion regulations prevented a woman from receiving medical care. Jaci Statton, 25, had a partly molar pregnancy, which can cause pre-cancerous tissue growth and other issues. Oklahoma’s three abortion prohibitions prevented doctors from removing dangerous tissue. Statton was transported to several hospitals but denied treatment. The non-viable pregnancy was terminated in Kansas.

Oklahoma’s abortion regulations are confusing, and doctors fear hefty penalties for making the wrong decision. According to Center for Reproductive Rights senior staff attorney Rabia Muqaddam, doctors are “weighing their own liberty and safety against what should be patient-centered medical care and ethical medical care.” Patients like Statton suffer.

Statton’s elevated hormone levels are regrowing pre-cancerous tissue, causing long-term damage. She wants to get her tubes tied and arrange another surgery to remove the tissue. Statton’s tale shows how stringent abortion regulations can prohibit women from accessing medical care and endanger their health.

Source: Oklahoma Woman Denied Abortion Care Due Despite Medical Emergency

Oklahoma Bureau Of Narcotics Agents Issue Urgent Warning About Lethal Sedative

Oklahoma drug agents have issued a warning about a deadly drug that is being mixed with fentanyl. The drug, Xylazine, is a tranquillizer used for large animals like horses, but is not approved for humans. Mexican drug cartels are mixing Xylazine with fentanyl, which is already an extremely deadly drug, making it a nightmare. The problem is Xylazine isn’t an opioid, so Narcan can’t reverse the overdose.

Xylazine is a sedative for large animals and it’s very cheap. It slows down the central nervous system so the body isn’t able to heal. So, people’s wounds just keep getting worse. The continued use of it and what it does is slow down the healing. When someone is using fentanyl that’s been adulterated with Xylazine, the person using has these open sores that continue to kind of grow and just eat at the flesh. They are very hard to deal with.

Xylazine is following fentanyl, according to OBN Deputy Director Brian Surber. From the east coast to Oklahoma. In 2022, fentanyl and Xylazine-positive overdose deaths increased 1,100% in this region. Agents think cartels mixed Xylazine with other narcotics. New Mexico police recently found Xylazine in a car’s spare tire.

Source: Oklahoma Bureau Of Narcotics Agents Warn Of Deadly Sedative

Veteran Suicide Prevention Task Force Set to Take the First Step in Oklahoma

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has signed a bipartisan bill into law that will create a nine-member veteran suicide prevention task force. The group will be made up of representatives from around the state, with each member chosen by a different person. State Rep. Jacob Rosecrants, who helped make the task force possible, said he wants the group to move past awareness and into concrete solutions. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, about 16 veterans nationwide die by suicide every day.

Rosecrants said he wants the conversations within the task force to be “ugly,” with arguments and disagreements leading to concrete solutions that can reduce the number of veterans who die by suicide in Oklahoma. The bill requires the group to submit their findings and recommendations to state leaders by late 2024. Governor Stitt signed Rosecrants’ bill into law, which says the task force should meet no later than November 1, 2023. Other state agencies like the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services will also get to choose a member.

The legislation allows Stitt, Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, House Speaker Charles McCall, and minority leaders in the House and Senate a chance to pick a task force member. The bill requires the group to submit their findings and recommendations to state leaders by late 2024. “This puts a lot of folks under kind of one auspicious idea,” Rosecrants said. The creation of the task force is an important first step in reducing the number of veterans who die by suicide in Oklahoma.

Source: Perfect first step’: Veteran suicide prevention task force coming to Oklahoma | KOKH

Oklahoma Takes a Step Forward in Education: Civil Rights Curriculum Bill Signed into Law

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has signed a new bill that allows the state’s Department of Education to create a course on the Civil Rights Movement. The course will cover the years between 1954 and 1968 exclusively and can be a stand-alone course or integrated into other classes. The aim is to educate more Oklahoma students about the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr., emphasizing the Letters from Birmingham Jail.

The bill’s author, Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore, said that the course will focus on how to discuss and resolve difficult issues and advocate for change in a non-violent way through the study of the principles that informed Dr. King. The course will fit within Oklahoma’s education standards and emphasize freedom, perseverance, hope, justice, and conscience. The provisions of the bill will go into effect on Nov. 1.

The bill also allows genocide to be taught. Lepak said “the study of this material is a reaffirmation of the commitment of the people of this state to reject bigotry, to champion equal protection under the law as a foundational principle of our Republic, and to act in opposition to injustice wherever it may occur.” The bill hopes to teach Oklahoma kids about civil rights and non-violent change.

Source: Bill to implement Civil Rights curriculum signed in Oklahoma

Oklahoma Takes a Stand: 13 Investment Firms Cut Off from State Business

Oklahoma has announced that it will no longer do state business with 13 financial firms, including BlackRock, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America. The move comes after a 2022 law banned contracts with companies deemed “hostile” to oil and gas companies. State Treasurer Todd Russ said in a news release that the firms were found to be “boycotting” oil and gas companies or did not respond to requests for information from the state to clarify their positions on fossil fuel corporations.

“The energy sector is crucial to Oklahoma’s economy, providing jobs for our residents and helping drive economic growth,” Russ said. “It is essential for us to work with financial institutions that are focused on free-market principles and not beholden to social goals that override their fiduciary duties.” The companies on the list have 90 days to respond. After that, if they stay on the list, state entities have 360 days to divest themselves of direct or indirect holdings with a few exceptions.

Several of the firms told The Tulsa World they were disappointed in Oklahoma’s actions. It’s unclear how much money is at stake for Oklahoma, and the investment groups. But all have done business with the state recently and collectively hold trillions of dollars in investment funds. The move follows similar actions in at least a dozen other Republican-led states.

Source: Oklahoma will soon no longer do state business with these 13 investment firms | KOSU

Oklahoma Governor Bans Gender-Affirming Care for Trans Kids: The Impact on the Transgender Community

Oklahoma has become the latest state to ban gender-affirming medical care for minors, as Republican Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law on Monday. The new legislation makes it a felony for healthcare workers to provide children with treatments that include puberty-blocking drugs and hormones. Oklahoma joins at least 15 other states with laws banning such care, as conservatives across the country have targeted transgender rights. Transgender advocates and parents of transgender children say such care is essential, and several civil liberty organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma, have promised to take legal action to prevent the law from taking effect.

Stitt prioritized the ban this legislative session to safeguard youngsters. Transgender supporters say gender-affirming care is essential to helping transgender youth succeed, have good connections with friends and family, live truthfully, and dream about their futures. Last year, Stitt signed measures banning transgender girls and women from playing on female sports teams and using gender-specific school toilets. On Monday, he signed a bill banning gender-transition surgery, hormones, and medications for minors.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma and other civil liberty groups plan to sue to stop the measure. They say the new law violates transgender youngsters’ and their families’ rights and might cause substantial harm. Conservatives are restricting transgender rights nationwide, including banning gender-affirming medical care for kids. Transgender advocates and allies are pushing back and vowing to defend transgender rights and dignity.

Source: Oklahoma governor signs ban on gender-affirming care for trans kids | PBS NewsHour

Lights, Camera, Action: Downtown Oklahoma City Streets to Close for Filming!

Filming may cause traffic diversions in downtown Oklahoma City next week. On Tuesday, May 9, Park Ave. from N. Harvey Ave. to Broadway Ave. and Robinson Ave. from W. Main St. to Robert S. Kerr Ave. will be closed to vehicles and pedestrians. Downtown employees and businesspeople will use neighboring streets with occasional traffic management from the police. Drivers should stay away.

Downtown Oklahoma City will be closed for filming. The project’s closures are expected to inconvenience cars and pedestrians, but officials have not released details. The police department promises traffic management on nearby streets to allow entry.

Locals and tourists will likely watch the filming. Officials recommend avoiding the region on Tuesday, May 9, as the project’s duration is unknown. The restrictions may disrupt downtown Oklahoma City, a popular tourist and local destination.

Source: Downtown Oklahoma City streets to close for filming | KFOR.com Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City Woman Faces Justice for Federal Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering in Eastern District of Texas

According to a DOJ press release, an Oklahoma City woman was convicted of federal drug trafficking, money laundering, and financial offenses in the Eastern District of Texas. After a lengthy federal investigation, the unnamed woman was convicted guilty on many counts. The DOJ called her conviction a major victory in the region’s drug and financial criminal fight.

The DEA and FBI found a large drug trafficking network between Oklahoma City and Texas. The guilty woman distributed massive amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. She also laundered narcotics profits using complicated financial strategies to shield them from law enforcement.

The woman faces a long prison sentence and possible financial consequences after her conviction. This case highlights the necessity of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working together to dismantle criminal networks, according to the DOJ. The Eastern District of Texas court will punish the lady within months.

Source: Eastern District of Texas | Oklahoma City Woman Convicted of Federal Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Financial Crimes in Eastern District of Texas | United States Department of Justice Lock

Stay Protected: Understanding Immunization Requirements in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma State Department of Health has produced a list of immunizations required for child care and school. Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP), and Polio (IPV/OPV) vaccines are included at various ages. State schools and child care centers need immunizations.

For information on necessary vaccines, parents can call 405-271-4073 or 800-234-6196, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health Immunization Services. The department’s website is http://imm.health.ok.gov. The department stresses the need of vaccinating youngsters to avoid illness transmission and community health.

Parents with questions regarding needed immunizations can contact Oklahoma Human Services. 2400 N Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, (405) 522-5050. To promote health, Oklahoma requires all schoolchildren and child care center students to be vaccinated.

Source: Immunization Requirements in Oklahoma

Tragic Loss: Oklahoma Mother Charged in Death of 4-Year-Old at the Hands of Caregiver

Jasmin Brownfield, Athena’s biological mother, was jailed in Caddo County, Oklahoma, on two counts of child neglect. Ivon Adams killed Athena on Christmas Day 2022. Athena’s remains were found buried on a rural Grady County property one week after her abduction, which officials didn’t discover until her 5-year-old sister was found wandering outside her Cyril home in January 2023. Phoenix police arrested Ivon Adams for first-degree murder and child negligence. The other nanny, Alysia Adams, was jailed on two child neglect charges.

Athena’s death highlighted Oklahoma’s child neglect and abuse problem. Athena’s mother was arrested due to the OSBI’s involvement. The arrests of the carers and biological mother are important steps toward justice for Athena and her family.

The tragedy has also raised concerns about Oklahoma’s child welfare programs. Athena’s situation underscores the need to address the state’s high child abuse and neglect statistics. To prevent such tragedies, authorities urge individuals to report suspected child abuse or neglect.

Source: Oklahoma mother charged after 4-year-old killed by caregiver, body buried | KFOR.com Oklahoma City

Oklahoma Drowns in Floods: A Look at the Aftermath of Thursday’s Storms

Drivers across Oklahoma were affected by significant floods on Thursday morning and afternoon. KOCO 5’s Jason Burger reported three-foot floods in Bethany. Floodwaters damaged cars, vans, and a cyclist.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for many Oklahoma counties, including Bethany’s Oklahoma County. Heavy downpour overflowed creeks and rivers, flooding towns and highways. Avoid flooded regions and take alternate routes.

Several water rescues were handled by emergency teams. The Oklahoma City Fire Department rescued two persons from a waterlogged vehicle. Flooding also caused power outages. Residents should stay aware and take measures as the storms continue into the weekend.

Source: Oklahoma sees heavy flooding in areas following Thursday storms