OKC Police Investigate Accidental Deadly Shooting, Fatal Stabbing Happening Hours Apart

Oklahoma City Police are investigating two homicides that happened only hours apart on Friday.

Police said a teenager died after being shot and another person died after being stabbed during a fight. Police said the incidents were not connected.  

Officers were called to investigate a shooting at a tire shop on Southeast 29th Street and High Avenue. Police learned that 17-year-old Alfredo Sanchez and a friend were handling a gun when it accidentally went off hitting Sanchez. The injured teen was taken to a local hospital but did not survive. No one was arrested at the scene.

“Investigators are still going through the process of interviewing people and trying to determine how exactly all of this transpired,” said Msgt. Gary Knight, Oklahoma City Police Department. “On the surface at this time it appears to be an accidental shooting.”

Three hours after the shooting police shut down a portion of northwest 23rd Street and MacArthur Boulevard to investigate a deadly stabbing. Witnesses told police two men were fighting outside a 7-Eleven store when the suspect pulled out a knife stabbing the other man. The victim died at the scene and police say 28-year-old William Avila took off running just as officers showed up.

“Officers had to chase him down,” said Knight. “He was taken into custody after a response to resistance. At that point, he was transported to headquarters to be interviewed.”

The stabbing suspect was taken from the interview with investigators to the hospital because of a medical condition. Police said Avila will be booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center on a murder complaint once he is released from the hospital.

Police will release the stabbing victim's name and age once his relatives are notified of the death.