18-Year-Old Arrested In Connection To Shooting That Killed Tulsa Teen, Critically Injured Another

Tulsa Police arrested a person of interest on Tuesday in connection with the shooting at the Midtown Park Apartment that killed one teen and critically injured another.

Sixteen-year-old Valin Bell died due to injuries sustained in the shooting near 21st and Memorial on Monday, according to police. The incident happened around 7 p.m. Monday and investigators said the scene was as big as a football field with shell casings scattered throughout the apartment complex.

Police say they arrested Ricardo Galarza, 18, and will book him into jail on a murder complaint.

The Special Operations Team along with the Warrant Fugitive Squad were present to serve the warrant at a home in the Barrington Point neighborhood near Owasso High School.

They also took a vehicle into custody as well.

Police spent hours in a standoff on Monday afternoon, where they thought the person of interest was hiding, but that house turned out to be empty.

Police said they found two 16-year-old boys critically injured and said Bell later died at the hospital.

Officers also found two guns on the ground, and cars and apartment buildings riddled with bullet holes, police said.

Captain Richard Meulenberg said this trend of gun violence in Tulsa, especially among young people, is unacceptable.

“They are letting their emotions get away from them and you know using guns at this point and you know there's bullet holes in buildings and bullet holes in cars and casings all over the ground here, so we're very fortunate and very lucky that some innocent child wasn't struck out here," said Meulenberg.

Police said at this time they don't know how or if the two 16-year-old victims were involved in the gun battle.