Community Reacts After Violence Near Historic Tulsa Church

TULSA, Okla. — The Vernon AME Church, a historic site scarred by the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, was again at the center of violence last Saturday, resulting in multiple injuries and one fatality.

Associate Pastor Francetta Mays described the scene as a crime scene. “There were five to eight people actually injured right across the street from our church. Four of our members were hit by ricochet, and we lost some chips of our concrete,” she said.

Wesley Moman, a friend of the deceased 21-year-old Isaiah Knight, shared his emotional response. “Being a young man from a rough background, my first thoughts were on revenge. But I realized that’s something you have to let God handle,” he said.

The community met at Vernon AME to talk about the aftermath of the shooting. Pastor Keith Mayes recalled taking cover during the incident. “I was skinned and bruised as the gunman was less than 10 feet from me,” he said.

In response to the violence, Mayor Nichols proposed a new curfew intended to enhance safety downtown. “It’s not just about preventing shootings. There are many safety issues prevalent during late hours,” the mayor stated.

Moman expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the curfew, noting that the suspect in custody would not have been impacted by it. “The little curfew stuff really isn’t going to matter,” he said.

The community continues to search for solutions to the violence. “We are all not about violence and killing; many are about unity in the community,” Moman added. He urged residents to get involved, stating, “If you don’t get involved, you should be scared. But if you do, you ain’t got nothing to be scared of.”