Family And Friends Mourn Death Of OKC's First Homicide Victim Of 2022

Family and friends are mourning the loss of a man shot and killed in a Southwest Oklahoma City neighborhood on New Year’s Day after an alleged road rage incident.

Those close to 26-year-old Jonathan Camren tell News 9 they’re still left in shock by what occurred.

"He was that big brother in my life," said Wyatt Palomino, a friend. "He taught me a lot of things, taught me how to take care of myself."

It was just 15 minutes into the New Year when police got a call of a shooting near Southwest 27 and McKinley. When they arrived at the intersection, they found Camren.  

He was rushed to a local hospital where he later died.

"I didn’t believe it," said Palomino. "It didn’t seem real at first, he’s always been that person that’s like invincible like he was always that person to everybody."

Palomino got a call that day from one of his friends saying to check Facebook and that Camren was gone. His death left family and friends heartbroken.

"I don't like going through stuff like this, no one does," said Palomino. "Especially when it's someone who's like a brother to you. I wish he was still here with us."

According to investigators, there was some sort of traffic related confrontation between Camren and 19-year-old Christopher Ward, which led to the shooting.

Officers say Ward was also wounded during the incident and transported to a local hospital. He will be booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center on a first-degree murder complaint.

"It’s sad, I mean who would want something like this to happen to their loved ones over something that could have been avoided," said Paul Gutierez, a friend. 

In the following days, a memorial was put together for Camren at the intersection he was shot at. 

"Nobody has to go do this for him because he's already in heaven," Gutierez said. "It's about the love and the respect, I respected him as a man."

No one else was hurt during this shooting. If you have any other information on this case, you're asked to call the Homicide Tip-Line at 405-297-1200.