Oklahoma

TCSO hosts active shooter training for agencies across Oklahoma

Published

2 years ago

July 11, 2024

TCSO hosts active shooter training for agencies across Oklahoma

TULSA, Okla. — The Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office hosted an active shooter training session for several law enforcement agencies across the state to better equip first responders in an emergency.

“If we are going to make a mistake, let’s make it here because when it is real life, and real counting, seconds matter and we are trying to eliminate all those mistakes for them,” Chris Polito, a Louisiana State University National Center for Biomedical Research and Training instructor, said.

Polito said officers are trained to stop at nothing to eliminate the threat.

“Everyone here raised their hand and swore,” Polito said. “That’s the day they are actually going to do it. They know there is a possibility they can get hurt. They know there is a possibility that they are not going back to their loved ones, but they put that aside to risk their own lives to save others.”

KJRH

Polito said the course teaches active shooter response.

“It’s not just geared toward schools, although we are using a school here, it is anything that there is a large amount of violence that could occur,” he said.

Drills range from sweeping hallways for threats, battering doors and entering with guns drawn, and life-saving measures like tying tourniquets.

Cpl. Daniel Gullett with TCSO said coordinating with other agencies is crucial.

“We all work in the same areas, and this just improves our response because God forbid if this does happen, a lot of it will be different agencies showing up,” Cpl. Gullett said. “Now we are all on the same page with the training. We know each other’s faces.”

Active shooting incidents are seen across the United States. An FBI report on active shooters from 2023 states that 48 shootings were designated as such.

It states 105 people were killed and 139 wounded.

According to the FBI those 48 active shooter incidents took place at five location categories – open space, commerce, education, residence, and health care.

The report states although incidents decreased by 4% from 2022, the number of active shooter incidents increased by 60% since 2019.

“Violence is out there,” Polito said. “We need to make sure that our law enforcement officers are capable of handling that. They are trained to do it to stop the killing and stop the dying. It’s what we teach and preach.”

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Oklahoma

UCLA vs. Oklahoma State – Second round NCAA tournament extended highlights

Published

3 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

UCLA vs. Oklahoma State – Second round NCAA tournament extended highlights

Women’s Basketball

March 24, 2026

UCLA vs. Oklahoma State – Second round NCAA tournament extended highlights

March 24, 2026

Watch the highlights from No. 1 UCLA and No. 8 Oklahoma State’s matchup in the second round of the 2026 women’s NCAA tournament.

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Oklahoma

Fire in Oklahoma City scrapyard produces massive smoke plume visible from downtown

Published

15 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

Fire in Oklahoma City scrapyard produces massive smoke plume visible from downtown

A fire at a scrapyard near the OKC Fairgrounds has produced a massive plume of smoke visible in downtown Oklahoma City, officials report.

Oklahoma City Fire Department Assistant PIO John Chenoweth told The Oklahoman that the fire started at the scrapyard building near Northwest 10th Street and May Avenue, northeast of the OKC Fairgrounds.

The fire has been marked as “basically contained” as the Oklahoma City Fire Department is currently shifting to defensive methods. There are some active rubbish fires surrounding the metal building.

Chenoweth states there are no injuries, and all inside the building have been evacuated.

The cause of the fire and the extent of damage are unknown.

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Oklahoma fire map: See smoke, wildfires across state, red flag warnings

Track the latest wildfire and smoke information in Oklahoma with data that is updated frequently based on input from several incident and intelligence sources.

If you can’t see the map below, please click here.

How to prevent wildfires

While severely warm weather can worsen a wildfire spread, most are the result of human behavior. In fact, nearly 85% of wildfires in the U.S. are caused by humans, according to the National Park Service.

With its wide acres, rural areas and inconsistent weather patterns, Oklahoma is prone to grass fires. Forestry and safety experts offer several guidelines for residents on how to avoid starting a fire, which can often breakout from just one wrong spark.

Avoid using welding equipment.
Never drive on a flat tire.
Extinguish cigarettes completely before properly disposing of them, and never throw them outside of a window while driving.
Avoid parking on dry grass or dragging chains behind your car.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma ranked in top 10 states attracting new residents, study says

Published

1 day ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma ranked in top 10 states attracting new residents, study says

Oklahoma is in the top 10 states receiving new residents in the nation in recent years, a new survey suggests.

StorageCafe conducted a recent study utilizing U.S. Census data showing Oklahoma welcomed over 25,000 new residents in 2023, with millennials being the largest-represented generation among those entering the Sooner State.

Here’s what the study had to say about migration into Oklahoma.

Oklahoma among top 10 states to move to

According to StorageCafe, Oklahoma welcomed 25,000 new residents in 2023 in net migration.

New residents in Oklahoma were largely made up of millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, at 27%.

Though Oklahomans and Texans don’t seem to be eye to eye in the football arena, Texas is “by far the largest source” of new Oklahoma residents.

Among the major reasons for the increase in migrants is likely Oklahoma’s affordability, with 36% of millennials buying a home within their first year in Oklahoma.

In addition, Oklahomans found major success in recruiting former California and Colorado residents to move to the state, rounding out the top 3 states bringing new residents.