Drone gives police visual on barricaded shooter from safe distance
OKCPD responds to a shots fired call. Skydio X10 drone provides situational awareness as officers engage from a distance, with suspect firing at them now.
- I'm Captain Valerie Littlejohn with the Office of Media Relations.
- I want to update you on an officer-involved shooting
- that occurred on September
- 2nd, 2024. It was just before 4:00 PM when officers were
- called to 116 Southeast 41st Street in reference to a
- man shooting a gun at another person.
- When officers arrived, the suspect had gone back into his home
- and refused to come
- out. The suspect was identified as Mario Cruz.
- Initial officers on scene spent about three hours trying to get Cruz to
- surrender peacefully with no success.
- Officers attempted to communicate with Cruz in both English and Spanish.
- Mario, we need you to come outside with your
- hands in the air.
- We can't leave until we talk to you.
- Come outside with your hands in the air.
- [on loudspeaker] Mario, no nos vamos a ir hasta que usted salga.
- Salga de la casa con sus manos arriba.
- When negotiations were unsuccessful, the tactical unit was called
- and arrived on
- scene to assist. After several more hours of attempting to
- negotiate with
- Cruz, he crawled into the attic space of the
- residence and began breaking out
- one of the exterior attic walls. Once Cruz was able to open
- up part of the wall, he pointed his firearm at officers
- multiple times from an
- elevated position. While in this position, he began shooting at the
- officers. After being shot at, one of the officers deployed a
- forty-millimeter less lethal round, striking Cruz in the body.
- Cruz then fired his gun at officers again.
- At least one officer was struck with shrapnel during these
- shots by Cruz.
- After shooting at officers, Cruz jumped to the ground,
- still holding the gun.
- He walked around the back of the house, where he confronted tactical unit
- officers.
- Cruz was given commands in both English and Spanish to drop the gun, but failed to
- follow the officers' commands. One officer discharged his firearm,
- striking Cruz. Officers and medical personnel on scene began
- rendering aid to Cruz, who was transported to an area hospital by
- ambulance and is expected to survive his injuries.
- The officer involved was placed on routine administrative leave
- pending the outcome
- of the investigation.
Watch Time
2 Mins 1 Secs