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Candlelight vigil held in Downtown Wichita for Oklahoma nonbinary teen Nex Benedict

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Candlelight vigil held in Downtown Wichita for Oklahoma nonbinary teen Nex Benedict


WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – Candlelight vigils are being held in cities across the country to remember the life of Nex Benedict, an Oklahoma high school student who died one day after being involved in a fight in the school’s bathroom.

In Wichita Sunday night, dozens of community members gathered at the Keeper of the Plains to share their thoughts and offer their condolences.

“This is our people,” said Riley Chiever who attended the vigil. “Nex was one of us.”

Benedict, a 16-year-old who identified as nonbinary, died on February 8. One day earlier, Benedict and three girls got into an altercation at the school. In police body camera footage from a hospital bed after the fight, Benedict told a police investigator that the girls had attacked after the teen poured water on them. Benedict said the girls were picking on the teen and some friends.

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“They came at me,” Benedict told a police investigator. “They grabbed on to my hair. I grabbed onto them, and I threw one of them into a paper towel dispenser. Then they got my legs out from underneath me and got me on the ground.”

Benedict was released from the hospital, but the next day, the teen’s mother called emergency crews to their home saying Benedict’s breathing was shallow,

“Sometimes it takes a tragedy for some other person to decide that’s enough,” said Jackie Carter, senior pastor at Table of Hope. “I’ve had enough now. I’m going to act. Our hope is that every one of these people that were here tonight will act.”

An official cause of death has not been released, but Benedict’s family said the teen was bullied for identifying as a nonbinary. In Wichita and many other cities outside Oklahoma, members and advocates of the LGBTQ+ community have rallied to bring awareness to Benedict’s death and help those that have been a victim of discrimination.

The Owasso Police Department in Oklahoma has reported that Benedict’s preliminary autopsy results did not indicate that the teenager died as a result of injuries during the fight.

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Choctaw vs. Sand Springs: Watch Oklahoma high school football state championship game live

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Choctaw vs. Sand Springs: Watch Oklahoma high school football state championship game live


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It’s state championship week in Oklahoma high school football.

The quest for a 2025 state title has reached the last round, with the Class 6A-II championship game set for Friday night at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.

The championship has come down to the Choctaw Yellowjackets vs. the Sand Springs Sandites.

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  • WATCH LIVE: Choctaw vs. Sand Springs football is streaming live on NFHS Network

Choctaw is the defending champion, while Sand Springs hasn’t lost a game since Sept. 12.

Opening kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on Friday, December 5 in Edmond, Okla., with a live TV broadcast on NFHS Network.

High school football championships on NFHS Network

Watch high school sports anywhere from wherever you are.

Watch now

Sand Springs (10-2) overcame a 20-point halftime deficit in the state semifinals, beating Putnam City 28-27. Choctaw (9-4) flexed its defensive muscles in a 22-14 win over Stillwater last week.

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Sand Springs has just one state championship win — in 1966 — while Choctaw is looking for its third.

How to watch Choctaw vs. Sand Springs football livestream

What: Choctaw vs. Sand Springs in the Class 6A-II Oklahoma high school football state championship game

When: Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on Friday, December 5

Where: Chad Richison Stadium | Edmond, Oklahoma

Watch live: Watch Choctaw vs. Sand Springs live on the NFHS Network

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Police investigation underway after fatal crash ends vehicle pursuit in Oklahoma City

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Police investigation underway after fatal crash ends vehicle pursuit in Oklahoma City


UPDATE:

OKCPD attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation near 23rd Street and I-44 Thursday evening.

The suspect began a vehicle pursuit which officers followed onto I-44 through north Oklahoma City.

The driver attempted to exit onto 23rd Street and overcorrected the vehicle, causing it to collide with the concrete barrier.

The driver was transported to a nearby hospital where they were pronounced deceased.

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All eastbound lanes of I-44 have been closed at I-40. The westbound and eastbound I-40 off-ramp have also been closed due to the collision.

ORIGINAL:

The Oklahoma City police are at the scene of a car crash following a vehicle pursuit near 23rd Street and I-44.

According to OKCPD, the pursuit began near SW 59th Street and Penn Avenue.

One person has been pronounced deceased at the accident.

This is a developing story; please check back for updates.

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How are the roads today? See the latest weather, conditions in Oklahoma

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How are the roads today? See the latest weather, conditions in Oklahoma


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Driving in Oklahoma City in the winter is hectic. When the snowstorms come, or even ice, many drivers opt to hit the highways as opposed to cruising through the main city streets.

It may feel like you have come in contact with every driver in the metro area, and if you’re not looking to get stuck in the slow-moving traffic, there may be a way to evade it all.

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Oklahoma provides a map of the cameras throughout their highway systems with views of how traffic, snowfall and other factors impact your commute.

If you’re looking for a way to slide through the traffic, here are some ways you can prepare for the road ahead.

How are the roads in OKC?

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation provides a map of all highways, interstates and streets going through the state. Some parts of the roadways feature live cameras, allowing you to see active traffic flow throughout the state.

As these are live, you can also see how the weather may have impacted the roadway throughout the day.

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More: See live traffic flows in, around Oklahoma City metro.

Also included in the map, you can see traffic flow patterns, indicated by the green, yellow and red paths.

OKC live traffic cameras

What roads are closed?

The ODOT also shares road closures throughout the state. Using the map below, you can click through and see if there are any active closures on highways, turnpikes or other state-operated roadways throughout Oklahoma.

Oklahoma snow tracker

The City of Oklahoma City operates all snow route clean-up throughout the city, while ODOT and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority are responsible for their respective roads.

Roads are cleaned, including inside suburbs, for weather events like snow, blizzards, freezing rain and ice storms.

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Find maps and snow plow locations at oksnowplows.org



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