Suspect Killed In Officer-Involved Shooting At OKC Sonic Never Fired His Weapon, Police Say

Oklahoma City police said an armed suspect believed to have shot a victim that he was allegedly holding hostage last week at a Sonic in Oklahoma City, never fired his weapon. 

The department released an update into the investigation on Monday.

According to the initial report, police were called just before 5 p.m. Tuesday, December 24 to the area of Northeast 18th Street and Kelham Avenue after a family member reported the suspect, identified as Elray Barber, was intoxicated and carrying a gun. 

Officers later located and stopped Barber in a vehicle at the Sonic drive-in located in the 2200 block of N. Martin Luther King Blvd. 

Police said Barber was the passenger in the vehicle. He refused to let the driver, identified as Rolana Keeler, out of the car and was allegedly making threats to shoot her. 

Authorities said Barber refused to comply with officers instructions to release the victim for approximately two hours. According to police, Barber pointed his weapon at authorities. At some point in the negotiations two Oklahoma City police officers discharged their weapons striking Barber. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Keeler was believed to have been shot by Barber but authorities said Monday the investigation revealed she was hit by fragments from either a bullet or from the metal frame of the car seat after an officer's bullet struck the car seat frame, according to the release. 

Keeler was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. No officers were injured during the incident. 

The two officers that discharged their weapons have been placed on paid administrative leave.