A deadly shooting at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma, that took place over the weekend has left one dead, with the shooter still being sought.
Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Took Over
The shooting occurred at around 2:30 a.m. Saturday on tribal land, according to the Love County Sheriff’s Office.
Given that the Chickasaw Nation owns the property, the case has been turned over to the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police for investigation.
“We have full confidence in our partners at the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police and will remain available should they need anything from our agency in the investigation,” said Sheriff Andy Cumberledge.
The sheriff added that their agency will not provide any additional information since the case does not fall under their jurisdiction, while expressing their desire to “remain transparent” in addressing the citizens of the county.
WinStar is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation and is considered one of the largest casinos in the U.S. The venue spans 400,000 square feet of gaming space and hosts over 10,000 slot machines and 100 table games spread across nine differently themed gaming areas.
The casino has also developed WinStar, an app that offers self-service to hotel guests and also works as a loyalty program.
Authorities have released very few details about what led up to the shooting. Sheriff Cumberledge confirmed that “one person was shot and was transported to a nearby hospital,” but later died of their injuries, according to News 9.
The sheriff added that the suspect took off before deputies arrived at the scene.
“This Is a Tragedy”
While the reason behind the shooting has not been made public, several comments on the Love County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook post regarding the incident suggest the victim was well-known in the community.
One person described the victim as “a family man” who “had children,” while another called him “a friend who was like a brother”.
“Family man, great father, amazing basketball talent. This is a tragedy.”, the post further said.
Some commenters said the shooting happened in the parking lot, just outside the casino.
Given that the Chickasaw Nation is a sovereign tribal government, it is responsible for managing law enforcement on its land. While tribal police usually handle most crimes, murder and other violent offenses are often investigated by federal authorities. The sheriff’s office noted, however, that whether the case becomes a federal prosecution “depends on a lot of factors” and has yet to be determined.