Three people shot to death in Tulsa, possibly because of their race
Tracy Martin (left in orange shirt), and Sybrina Fulton,(R), parents of slain teenager Trayvon Martin, pray at a Million Hoodies March on March 21, 2012 in New York City. The family members joined hundreds of protesters calling for justice in the killing of Trayvon Martin, 17, who was was pursued and shot on February 26 in Sanford, Florida by “neighborhood watch” member George Zimmerman, reportedly because the teenager’s hoodie made him look suspicious. Under Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, Zimmerman has not been charged with a crime in the shooting.
Three people were killed and two were injured in shootings in Tulsa Friday night. Police suspect that the shootings are related but are still waiting for the results of forensic tests to confirm that, the Associated Press reported. Police are currently searching for a lone gunman, CNN reported. They're looking for a white male driving a white pickup truck.
All of the victims are black, sparking concerns that the shootings were racially motivated.
"We're not absolutely certain, but a hate crime is a possibility," Tulsa police spokesman Capt. Jonathan Brooks told CNN. "This is not your standard homicide."
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All five people were shot within seven hours.The shootings also occurred within the same area of North Tulsa, a local Fox station reported.
North Tulsa is a predominantly black area, and local residents are now fearing for their safety.
"We're all nervous," North Tulsa resident Renaldo Works told the AP. "I've got a 15-year-old, and I'm not going to let him out late. People are scared. We need facts."
The news comes as racial tensions continue to flare over last month's shooting death of black teenager Trayvon Martin. His shooter, George Zimmerman, has not been arrested. A Gallup/USA Today poll released Thursday found that 73 percent of black people believe Zimmerman would have been arrested if Martin was white. Just 33 percent of whites agreed.
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