TULSA, Okla. — A Union Public Schools athlete was shot at a party at an AirBnB near 21st and Sheridan on Sept. 1, the school confirmed to 2 News.
Jarek Watie was shot in the face and neck but was released from the hospital on Sept. 3rd.
Tulsa police said the shooting happened around 11 p.m. when another teenager at the party fired a shot accidentally.
"At this time, we don't believe this discharge was of malice, but it was recklessly handled," TPD Capt. Richard Meulenberg told 2 News Tuesday. "He shouldn't have had this pistol. There shouldn't have been alcohol. There shouldn't have been marijuana. They shouldn't have even been at this place."
“We are greatly concerned about Jarek Watie, as he is a special young man and an integral part of our Union family," said Union's Director of Athletics Emily Barkley on Monday. "Jarek and his family are in our thoughts, and we are praying for a quick and full recovery.”
A 17-year-old boy who allegedly fired the single shot turned himself in once returning to his residence in Broken Arrow that same night, police said. Because the suspect is a juvenile, Tulsa police couldn't release their name.
Lighthorse Police arrested the suspect, who is a tribal citizen, for reckless conduct with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a juvenile.
"The main focus right now is just getting him healed where we can get him to a point where he can start to recover and resume life," Union head football coach Kirk Fridrich said.
Fridrich said he visited his star wide reciever in the hospital and assured his team will persist in his honor on the field.
"He was able to say he wants (the team) to have a good practice today, those kinds of things," the coach said. "So they're encouraged by that. And we've made counselors available to them if they need them. We're just kind of taking this day by day."
"I told him that if it's not good, God's not done with it," Fridrich added. "And I think that's what we're gonna call out and use our faith and our prayers to see something good come out of this situation."
Anna Wunderlich got to know Watie by chance Sunday night in near-tragic circumstances.
Wunderlich lives next door to the short-term rental property where the party took place in the Hoover neighborhood.
"I looked out the window and I could see kids running in and out of the house just frantically," Wunderlich said. "And I could hear cars peeling out. So I came out my front door...and I saw all these kids just running around and they were screaming that somebody was shot."
Wunderlich said she ran inside to help and discovered the high school senior laying on a bed while two other teens were trying to stop his bleeding after getting shot in the face. She told 2 News she first thought he was dead, but got him to talk.
"His eye and his nose was busted and we were trying to get the spelling of his name but it was hard to understand him," she said.
"He's really lucky. I don't know. It's crazy."
The house is listed on AirBnB with positive reviews. Its listing rules state only people over age 25 can book it, it can only have ten guests max, and parties aren't allowed.
Its property owner did not want to go on camera but told 2 News the hospitality group Evolve manages the house's listing on the website and informed him a woman who booked the home for Sunday passed the requirements.
Wunderlich and other neighbors told 2 News this isn't the first incident involving a party at the residence, and hope change comes from Watie's injury.
"Throwing parties like this, it's out of control," Wunderlich said. "None of that's cool, and yeah, for someone so young, it's heartbreaking to see all this happening."
Watie was the state champion in the 400M race in 2023 and helped Union win back-to-back Track and Field state championships in 2023 and 2024.
2 News featured Jarek as our player of the week in May 2024:
Two days before the shooting on Aug. 30, Watie caught two touchdown passes against Bentonville as Union's wide receiver to help bring home the season-opening win.
The University of Tulsa also offered Watie a scholarship to run track & field.
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