OKC Police Chief addresses deadly standoff that injured police sergeant
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – During a news conference Wednesday, Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley spoke publicly about an incident Tuesday that injured a police sergeant and left a convicted felon dead.
Oklahoma City Police responded to a neighborhood near Northwest 36th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue around 9:00 a.m. Tuesday after getting a call that a man was holding a gun to another person's head.
When officers arrived, they found Kavon Ragan, 22, on a front porch and tried to de-escalate the situation. Police say Ragan refused to follow officers' commands and went in and out of a home in the area.
During the call, police say Ragan started shooting at officers. Sgt. Joshua Scott was hit and rushed to the hospital by another officer on the scene.
"I hate that he's having to be in the hospital and spend time there right now and he is injured," said Gourley. "But in the scheme of things, he's going to be OK."
Gourley told the media Wednesday that he had gotten a report the same morning that Scott was doing good, but would be in the hospital a little bit longer. Reliable sources close to the incident confirmed to News 4 that Scott was shot in the abdomen.
"I spoke to him yesterday and he was in good spirits then," said Gourley. "We're just thankful that it wasn't worse than it was."
While Scott was in surgery Tuesday, law enforcement still on the scene of the initial call dealt with an hours long standoff. Police say Ragan barricaded himself inside of a rental home with two women and three kids inside as well. Police haven't shared how any of them knew each other.
Several homes were evacuated and entire blocks were shut down, preventing anyone from getting in or out of the area.
"Those guys that were out there on that scene, those officers, the men and women of our tactical unit, I think are the best in the country," said Gourley. "They train regularly for those types of scenarios."
The scenario evolved rapidly in scorching heat as negotiators tried to talk the suspect down. Gourley said all of it unfolded while Ragan was actively shooting at officers.
"[Ragan was] threatening them and continuing to fire on them while we were trying to negotiate with him," said Gourley.
Gourley said negotiations started as quickly as they could, and that the best result would have been everyone leaving the home without further injuries.
"The suspect controls a lot of that," said Gourley. "In this particular incident, he made a choice that wasn't what he was going to do."
Police say multiple officers fired at Ragan, one officer ultimately hitting him shortly before noon. Ragan was found dead in the aftermath and the women and children inside of the house survived the ordeal.
Gourley said he stands by how the incident was handled.
"They're trying to communicate and talk to this person and get them to come out of the residence and make sure that the people inside are safe," said Gourley. "That is classic de-escalation. Negotiation is de-escalation, and what they're trying to do and ultimately what they wanted out of that."
Police say two Oklahoma City Police officers and one U.S. Marshals Task Force member shot at
Ragan during the incident. The involved officers have been placed on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
In 2022 Ragan was convicted in Canadian County District court for shooting a weapon out of a vehicle, a felony. Police have not shared who the gun, he allegedly used to shoot Scott, belonged to.