Oklahoma

A suspended Oklahoma cop was busted in Las Vegas with a missing California teen, authorities said. Danniel Boone Morgan, 30, picked up the willing 15-year-old on Wednesday in the Modesto suburb of Turlock and fled south, according to Turlock police. Investigators quickly identified Morgan as the lone suspect in the alleged abduction, sending out an alert warning he could be armed. Las Vegas authorities captured Morgan early Thursday morning after a brief standoff in a motel room, the McAlester, Okla., News-Capital reported. The teen, who was with Morgan, will soon be reunited with her family, Turlock police said. The girl apparently knew the disgraced cop from living in Oklahoma and was moved to California to avoid him, the newspaper reported. Morgan, who is friends with the girl on Facebook, was placed on administrative leave in Kiowa, Okla., according to California cops. Police in Kiowa referred questions about the suspended officer to the city … [Read more...] about Oklahoma cop busted in Las Vegas with missing teen girl

A "tigernado" took the web by storm. As severe weather unleashed tornadoes across the Midwest on Wednesday, exotic animals were reported missing from a safari park near Oklahoma City. The reports that big cats were on the loose proved to be untrue — but the real story became the "Tigernado" meme that went viral on social media faster than a panther pounces on its prey. Within minutes of the tigers-on-the-loose false news breaking in Oklahoma, Twitter exploded with the "Tigernado" hashtag, as users created posters, GIFs and even a T-shirt for the imaginary disaster. A "Tornado Tiger" parody account also popped up. The safari's owner later told the Daily News the reported breakout never happened, and said local media misquoted him saying otherwise. "Nothing's loose, no animals got loose," a flustered Bill Meadows told The News on Wednesday night. "Not a one went missing. I'm not aware of … [Read more...] about ‘Tigernado’ sweeps social media after tornado hits Oklahoma City area, sparks false report of exotic animals breaking out of safari park

A flooded Oklahoma lake obscured the watery grave of 20-year-old friends reported missing after attending a rock festival over Memorial Day weekend. The bodies of Cody Parrick and Ben Baber, both of Okmulgee, were found in a minivan at the bottom of a boat ramp at Lake Eufaula on Sunday night, Fox23 reported. The 2005 Pontiac Montana’s antenna and roof rack were spotted by a passerby and Oklahoma State Police made the grim find at 7:20 p.m., at a point where the lake was 14 feet deeper than normal due to flooding. Parrick and Baber trekked to the Rocklahoma music fest in Pryor, Okla., on May 22 and were not heard from again. “Anybody can have a theory. Mine is that they missed a turn-off due to inexperience, and that’s how they kept going,” Okmulgee County Sheriff Eddy Rice told the Tulsa World. The three-day Rocklahoma festival, which featured heavy-metal acts like Godsmack, Slayer, Linkin Park and Tesla, … [Read more...] about Bodies of Oklahoma friends missing since rock festival found in van submerged at lake

At least three people are dead in a bombardment of flash floods in plains states Texas and Oklahoma, including a firefighter, who was carried away by a swift current as he rescued young children from a flooded birthday party overnight Sunday. The muddied water of Claremore, Okla. swept firefighter Capt. Jason Farley to his death late Saturday night only to be found at 1 a.m., drowned in a drainage ditch, according to the Tulsa World. Strong storms had pounded eastern Oklahoma and regions east of Houston with several inches of record-breaking precipitation, prompting the evacuation of at least 1,000 people and a state of emergency in Hays County. Nearly 400 homes have been destroyed in Hays County, Texas in the Memorial Day storms, a combination of an El Nino weather pattern and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. The floods were aided by years of drought. The brunt of the damage is in San Marcos and Wimberley, where the Blanco River … [Read more...] about Firefighter among three killed in Oklahoma and Texas flash floods responsible for destroying hundreds of homes

An angry president of the University of Oklahoma expelled two students Tuesday, saying they played “leadership roles” in a shocking video of revelers on a fraternity party bus breaking out in a racist song. Freshman Parker Rice, 19, a graduate of a Texas Catholic school, and sophomore Levi Pettit, 20, were disiplined in the fallout over the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity video that has triggered national outrage. “I am deeply sorry for what I did Saturday night. It was wrong and reckless,” said Rice, who hails from Dallas, in a statement. “I made a horrible mistake by joining into the singing and encouraging others to do the same.” In the offensive video, Rice and Pettit, also of Dallas, are seen dressed in tuxedos leading the bigoted ballad set to the tune “If You’re Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands.” Pettit’s parents also issued an apology on behalf of their son. “As parents of Levi, we love him … [Read more...] about University of Oklahoma fraternity brothers expelled from school apologize for racist Sigma Alpha Epsilon video

Former President Bill Clinton wiped tears from his eyes as he became emotional Sunday remembering the day horror struck the homeland two decades ago in Oklahoma City, the site of the nation’s deadliest domestic terror attack. Clinton, in his first term the day of the blast, joined current FBI director James Comey and 1,000 other officials, survivors and victims’ families for the 20th commemoration at the bombing memorial dedicated to the 168 people killed in the explosion at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. “When you strip away all the little things that divide us, it is important to remember how tied we are and how much all Americans owe to Oklahoma City, “Clinton said, according to the Washington Post. “You chose farsighted love over blind hatred. The whole world needs you now.” The memorial, featuring an empty chair for each person killed, was decorated with teddy bears, flowers and trinkets honoring the dead two decades on. … [Read more...] about Oklahoma City bombing remembered 20 years later as Bill Clinton, officials join hundreds of survivors, victims’ families

A young Oklahoma woman's family portrait with her newborn son has become an online sensation after her decision to include her late boyfriend in the shot. The moving end product, which relied on a little editing magic from a creative photographer, shows a transparent Lane Smith affectionately standing over his radiant girlfriend's shoulder as she cuddles their beaming little boy, Taos. "Thanks to Kayli I now have a picture of my little family," Sierra Sharry wrote on her Facebook page with the stunning photo while mentioning Yukon photographer Kayli Rene. But behind the bright smiles, framed by a glowing spring field, is the single mother's in-repair heartbreak. "I loved that man more than life itself," the 20-year-old said of Smith, who died before he was able to meet the cherubic Taos. It was July 13 while Sharry was eight months pregnant that tragedy struck. "When I left Lane that day I had no clue it would be the last time I'd … [Read more...] about Oklahoma man killed before birth of son appears in family portrait, thanks to little a little editing

An Oklahoma wildlife officer shot dead a man wanted in Arkansas for a parole violation after the absconder tussled with the officer and tried to drown him in a pond, officials said. The unidentified officer was checking three men for fishing licenses near Bunch, Okla., just after 11 a.m. Sunday morning when he learned 29-year-old Billy Joe Patrick had an active warrant out for a parole violation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said. When the officer tried to take Patrick into custody, he struggled and started a fight, authorities said. “The men fell into a pond where the suspect tried to hold the officer's head under water,” the department said in a statement. “The officer fought his way above the water and shot the suspect. The man died at the scene.” The officer was treated for minor injuries, authorities said, and won’t be named unless he is arrested or charged with a crime. Further details are sparse, and an agency spokeswoman could not be … [Read more...] about Oklahoma wildlife officer shoots dead wanted man who tried to drown him during fishing license check: officials

Timothy McVeigh considered the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building 20 years ago somewhat of a failure, viewed himself as a “Paul Revere-type messenger” and even suggested his defense team should receive $800,000 from the government, according to an archive of documents donated by the convicted bomber's lead attorney. The estimated 1 million pages of paper documents from Stephen Jones now fill 550 file cabinet-sized boxes at the Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas, where the Enid, Oklahoma, attorney received his undergraduate degree. The trove, delivered to the school in three phases since 1998, only became fully organized late last year. It includes a confidential report from a polygraph examiner, who wrote that McVeigh had wanted to 'take out' the Murrah Building on April 19, 1995. Although the blast killed 168 people, including 19 children, the examiner concluded that "In McVeigh's mind, he believed that he had definitely screwed … [Read more...] about Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh viewed blast as a failure: defense archive