Tighter security after fatal shooting in Choctaw
As area football teams prepare for their upcoming contests this Friday night, school officials and law enforcement officers are looking at beefing up security in light of the shooting that took place last Friday night during the game between Choctaw and Del City.
One teenager was reportedly shot and killed and others injured.
“We try to have a security presence at all our games, all our events. We expect a big crowd,” Stroud School Supt. Joe Van Tuyl said this week. His Stroud Tigers host the Chandler Lions in a 7 p.m. contest Friday night.
“We try to pre-plan for any event.” Asked if what happened last Friday night at Choctaw would have any impact on security planning for this week’s game he replied, “I think not,” noting further, “We have internal and external measures in place. And we’re always paying attention to it.”
“Security for our school is an ongoing process. We don’t discuss our security measures. We don’t want to identify those measures we have in place. That would identify what they are,” he said.
“We do have meetings with our staff and local security personnel,” mentioning the Stroud Police Department, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and at times the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
“We always pay attention to the events going on around us, whether it be local, state or nationwide each day. Awareness of conditions is an important factor in all security measures,” he aid.
North Rock Creek School Supt. Blake Moody said his school’s football team plays host to Little Axe Friday night and promises beefed up security measures.
Moody explained, “That Wednesday afternoon we will go over security measures for Friday night. We always have four or five Shawnee police officers on duty at our home games along with all of our administrative staff. That is just Standard Operating Procedure.
“That doesn’t include the spectators in our stands who are state troopers, police officers and firefighters who are there as parents,” Moody noted.
In light of what happened last Friday night at Choctaw, Moody emphasized, “Everything is on the table to make sure we are safe on Friday night. We will have an open mind as we discuss what we’ll do,” he said, as he was planning the Wednesday meeting.
“I do anticipate beefed up security. A lot more attention to entrances and exits and our school faculty will be on a heightened sense of alert,” he said.
“We installed cameras during the summer that covers all our blind spots around the football field and bleachers.”
“While we haven’t checked bags up to this point, that will be discussed also.”
Another rivalry game Friday night has the Meeker Bulldogs hosting the Prague Red Devils.
Meeker Police Chief Trent Norton and Assistant Chief Scott Wilson said this week, “There will be an increased police presence at the game with more officers than normal. We will have several of our officers there and officers from Prague will be there as well.
“We will block one entry way and that will leave the one on SH 18 and the one on U.S. 62 open.
“We will close down the walking area behind the bus barn. There will be two ways to walk in and two ways to drive out,” they said.
Lincoln County Sheriff Sgt. Aaron Bennett said about this Friday night, “Myself and Deputy Randy Chapa will be attending football games this Friday. That is on top of whatever the schools have organized for security and what the city has arranged as well.
“So there will be an increased law enforcement presence at football games,” he said.