TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa homicide detectives arrested an 18-year-old after a shooting at a Tulsa apartment complex on April 29.
16-year-old Valin Bell died in the shooting, and another 16-year-old is in critical condition at the hospital.
The shooting happened around 7 p.m. on April 29 near 21st and Memorial and the Midtown Park Apartments.
"This is a first since I've been here," said Shannon Davis. "It's a tragedy."
Shannon Davis has lived in the complex for 2 years. He said in his time, he's never seen this level of violence.
"That's really close to home," said Davis. "It's sad it was kids."
Police said the teens were shot in what they're calling a "gun battle" in the parking lot.
Terry Bowen is one of the neighbors who called 9-1-1. He said he was inside his apartment playing video games when he heard about a dozen shots.
"When I heard it in real life, it kind of set an alarm off in my head, and I put the headset down, and I put the video game down," said Bowen.
He ran outside and found Bell, who he said spent time at the complex with a relative.
"You're watching the life fade out of him slowly," said Bowen. "That's the part that hurt me. That boy had a lot of life and I'm sad to see it go."
The property management group's owner, Debra Minor, said they've done a lot of work to clean up the complex over the last four years, but this is a sad reality.
"Unfortunately, this happens all over Tulsa, and I don't think it's the property itself. It's the time that we're living in," said Minor. "We strive to do the best job that we can to make them feel safe and comfortable where they live."
Tulsa's Special Operations Team, Crime Gang Unit and Warrants Division served a search warrant at a home in Owasso. Police arrested 18-year-old Ricardo Galarza on a first-degree murder complaint.
If you know anything about the shooting, you can call Tulsa Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS. You can remain anonymous.
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