Crime
3 injured after shooting at Carreker East residential hall in Oklahoma State University
STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State University (OSU) Police are investigating a shooting that occurred early Sunday morning at the Carreker East residential hall, which left multiple people injured, including at least one OSU student.
According to OSU Chief of Police Michael Beckner, officers responded to the scene around 3:40 a.m. after receiving reports that several shooting victims had arrived at off-campus locations seeking help.
Upon arrival, police confirmed that multiple individuals had been injured during the incident.
One of the victims has been identified as an OSU student.
All victims are currently being treated at hospitals in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
Police said there is no ongoing threat to campus, but they are asking individuals who do not reside in Carreker East to avoid the area while the investigation remains active.
Preliminary findings indicate the shooting stemmed from a large private party that took place off-campus earlier in the night.
After the gathering ended, some attendees reportedly returned to the Carreker East residence hall, where the shooting occurred shortly afterward.
The OSU Police Department, along with campus and local authorities, continues to process the scene and interview witnesses. Chief Beckner emphasized that investigators are following multiple leads and are working to identify all individuals involved.
An update released at 6:37 a.m. confirmed that an additional victim has been located and is also receiving treatment at an area hospital.
Students and community members with any information related to the shooting are urged to contact the OSU Police Department at 405-744-6523, or to submit an anonymous tip through the Rave Guardian app, which also offers a live chat option with dispatchers.
For official updates and safety information, the university is directing the public to safety.okstate.edu.
OSU officials have expressed concern for the victims and are coordinating with law enforcement to ensure campus safety while the investigation continues.
Crime
Christopher Scholtes pleaded guilty in hot car death of two-year-old Parker Scholtes in Marana
MARANA, ARIZONA — A Tucson-area father accused of leaving his two-year-old daughter to die in a sweltering vehicle while he drank alcohol and watched pornography has accepted a plea deal to avoid a first-degree murder trial.
Christopher Scholtes, 37, pleaded guilty Wednesday morning in Pima County Superior Court to second-degree murder with a domestic violence enhancement and child abuse.
Under the terms of the agreement, Scholtes will serve a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 30 years in state prison.
He will remain out of custody for two additional weeks before beginning his sentence later this month.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office said the plea provides “justice for Parker and closure for the community.”
“We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors, victim advocates, and staff for their collaboration with local law enforcement on this complicated and high-profile case,” the office said in a statement. “This is yet another reminder that we will do everything possible to seek justice for victims, particularly those who are most vulnerable.”
The case stems from the death of two-year-old Parker Scholtes in Marana, Arizona, in July of last year.
According to investigators, Scholtes arrived home with Parker asleep in her car seat and decided not to wake her.
Instead, he went inside to play video games, drink beer, and watch pornography, leaving the toddler unattended in the vehicle during extreme summer heat.
Scholtes initially told police that he had left the vehicle running with the air conditioning on but lost track of time.
Investigators later determined the vehicle’s engine had shut off, and Parker remained trapped in temperatures that reached up to 190 degrees Fahrenheit inside the car.
Evidence showed she was left alone for approximately three hours, not one hour as Scholtes first claimed.
When Scholtes’ wife, Dr. Erika Scholtes, returned home from her hospital shift, she discovered Parker unresponsive inside the family’s Acura SUV.
Despite her efforts to perform CPR and the response of firefighters, Parker was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Authorities also learned through interviews that Scholtes had a history of leaving his three children unattended in vehicles for extended periods.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Erika Scholtes—an anesthesiologist—remained supportive of her husband, calling the child’s death a “tragic mistake.”
Despite the seriousness of the charges, Scholtes was released on bail shortly after his arrest.
In April, defense attorneys successfully petitioned to modify his bail conditions, allowing Scholtes to travel to Maui, Hawaii, for a family vacation from May 1 to May 9 with his wife and two surviving daughters.
The request was approved by Judge Kimberly Ortiz, despite objections from prosecutors.
Scholtes’ formal sentencing hearing is scheduled later this month, at which time he will return to custody to begin serving his prison term.