'I just want justice to happen for my son': Suspect in deadly New Year's Day mass shooting goes before a judge
One of three people charged in a deadly New Years Day shooting appeared in court for his preliminary hearing and shooting survivors testified while the victim’s mother sat in the crowd listening.
OKLAHOMA COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) – One of three people charged in a deadly New Years Day shooting appeared in court for his preliminary hearing and shooting survivors testified while the victim’s mother sat in the crowd listening.
Khalil Warren, 27, is accused of firing multiple shots twenty minutes after midnight on New Years Eve in the parking lot near Northwest 10th and Hudson in Oklahoma City.
Five people were shot. Daniel Howard Sr., a 22-year-old father and college football player, didn’t survive.
“I'm feeling hurt, but I'm blessed to have had my son for 22 years. I just want justice to happen for my son,” said Stephanie Howard, the victim’s mother.
Court documents show Howard’s group of friends got into a fight with Warren’s friends at the Sunset Patio Bar before security kicked them out.
They say the second suspect, J’Coal Glover, went to his car to retrieve something, then went back to Warren. Documents say Glover is also Warren’s own cousin. According to documents, Warren “fired multiple round at the victims, striking them.”
Monday, Glover testified he got a gun. Howard’s mother tells News 4 he pointed out Warren as the shooter.
“Daniel was talking to one of the two of the that got shot and they asked who had a fight with their friend. And the one went from the left side holding the gun to the right side and started shooting,” said Stephanie Howard. ”That's premeditated because they had a choice to leave. They had a choice to get in their car and go home instead of hunting them down.”
In the documents, investigators said “Howard ran several feet and died a short distance away on a sidewalk next to the building."
Police said airport records show Warren left the state hours after the homicide.
Monday, the judge heard from the other victims.
One was shot in the neck. He said the bullet went through his esophagus. He now has trouble talking.
Warren claims self defense.
Defense attorneys point out none of the victims could positively identify Warren as the suspect, they all heard a different amount of gunshots, and there were multiple guns at the scene, including by Howard.
Howard’s mother said her son was allowed to carry.
“I'm just praying for justice for everybody that's involved in this, that they get what they deserve,” said Howard’s mother.
Following testimony, the judge decided there was enough evidence to send the case to trial.
Warren’s formal arraignment is set for May 26th.