A City's Nightmare: Saturday Killing Spree Ends in Deadly Confrontation with Police

A pall of unimaginable grief and fear descended upon Oklahoma City this past Saturday, as a violent killing spree unfolded across the metro area, leaving three innocent lives tragically lost and one person injured. What began as a seemingly ordinary weekend morning quickly devolved into a terrifying series of events that tested the resolve of law enforcement and left an entire community reeling.

The nightmare began around 9:30 AM in an apartment complex nestled near Northwest 122nd Street and Rockwell. Here, officers made a devastating discovery: 36-year-old Steven Charles was found deceased, the victim of a brutal shooting. Tragically, a woman, identified as his girlfriend, also sustained injuries in the attack. It was a shocking and brutal start to what would become an even more horrifying day.

But the terror wasn't confined to a single location. Just hours later, around 11:30 AM, another scene of devastation emerged at a different complex, this time near Northwest 16th Street and Meridian Avenue. Here, Christian Lee and Jesse Payne were found murdered, adding two more names to the tragic tally. The sheer randomness, the senselessness of it all, compounded the growing dread gripping the city, as residents realized a dangerous individual was still at large.

Authorities, reeling from the successive tragedies and piecing together fragmented reports, were desperate for a lead. Thankfully, a crucial tip came in – a description of a black Lexus SUV believed to be involved in the horrific incidents. This small but vital piece of information became the thread in a rapidly unraveling tapestry of violence, giving officers a tangible target.

Eventually, the Lexus was spotted by vigilant officers near 104th Street and May Avenue. What followed was a high-stakes pursuit, cutting across city streets, a blur of sirens and adrenaline as police attempted to apprehend the armed suspect. It all culminated near Northwest 30th Street and Villa Avenue when the alleged perpetrator, 36-year-old Jevon Deshon Hayes, crashed the vehicle. Emerging from the wreckage, he reportedly opened fire on the pursuing officers. In that critical, life-or-death moment, law enforcement responded, bringing the suspect down and decisively ending the deadly rampage.

In the immediate aftermath, three officers – Ryan Smith, Michael Smith, and John Evans – were placed on routine administrative leave, a standard procedure after any officer-involved shooting. While the community breathed a collective sigh of relief that the violence had ceased, they were left to grapple with profound and unsettling questions: Why? What drove this individual to such horrific, unprovoked acts? The motive remains under investigation, though police believe Hayes knew at least some of his victims, possibly linked to a domestic dispute in the initial incident.

This tragic Saturday will undoubtedly be etched into Oklahoma City's memory, a somber reminder of the fragile nature of peace and the immense courage of those who step forward to protect it, even when facing the darkest of human deeds. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families, whose lives were irrevocably altered by this senseless violence, and to the officers who faced unimaginable danger to bring a violent chapter to a close.