TULSA, Okla. — At least six squirrels were shot with pellet rifles at McClure Park in east Tulsa on Nov. 23, according to the Tulsa Police Department.
After a call of someone shooting a BB gun in the middle of the park, officers said they found Kenric McFrazier and Darrell McJunkins with the guns defending their actions, saying they simply needed a place to find squirrels to cook.
"It's a fun place, a great place to be," park visitor Angie Harbaugh told 2 News. "And I would hate to come out and see a BB gun or somebody shooting something out here."
Harbaugh said she comes to the park with her kids for classes at Tulsa Glassblowing School. She said she's glad she didn't see the incident, but Ty Patrick, an instructor for free veterans classes at TGS, said he remembers seeing the suspects driving around.
"And it just looked very suspicious," Patrick said. "And now that I know, that's pretty crazy, dude."
Dallin Prisbrey stopped by the park to legally shoot some squirrels – with his phone.
"Like if you're a hunter, go do that on private land," Prisbey said. "Go do that where it's safe and not in a public park. Because, not only is it bad for the local squirrels, what if someone got hurt? That'd be absolutely tragic, and we're not about that."
Aside from the dead animals, police reportedly also found two pistols in the vehicle. Because McFrazier is a convicted felon, he was arrested for unlawfully having the weapons and hunting without a license. As of Nov. 26, charges are still pending. McJunkins was cited for hunting without a license.
Park visitors hope the park residents will now be respected.
"(It's) not exactly what you want to see out here for sure, especially when you have your family and guests here," Harbaugh said.
"People come out here, they feed them," Patrick added. "It's nuts, man. Like, no pun intended, but maybe a little bit."
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