Tulsa Mayor and Tulsa County Sheriff comment on Minneapolis ICE shooting

These past couple of days, I’ve been at a loss for words regarding the killing of Renee Nicole Good and the rise in violence targeting individuals and communities across our country. It’s been hard to verbalize the level of confusion, frustration, and sadness.


I first want to share my condolences with the Good family and the Minneapolis community for what they are going through. Those responsible for Ms. Good’s death must be held accountable. But we must also recognize that she is not alone. Too many others have been targeted or harmed simply because of who they are or for what they stand for.



If we are to be a united country, our leaders must lead in truth and justice. Because, unfortunately, we find ourselves in a familiar place in America. But we know that we don’t have to retreat into our corners this time. We don’t have to argue; we just have to decide. Decide if we want to be a strong, united country. In Tulsa, we’ve made that decision. We stand for what’s right and we stand by our community and our people.



While we mourn Ms. Good and all those who have been targeted, we will continue to pray for them and their families. Demand justice. And seek closure for every family affected.



I know this: even in this terrible, uncertain time, we must find our way back to each other. Our hope and our strength as Americans and Tulsans depend on it.

———————————————————————————

“Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.” - Aeschylus

True leadership demands more. In times of tension, leaders are obligated to lower the temperature - not raise it. They should encourage peaceful expression, lawful protest, and respect for human life, not rhetoric that fuels anger, division, or the justification of violence along partisan lines.

When public officials frame tragedy through a political lens, they risk turning grief into grievance and disagreement into disorder.

The recent statements given by Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols publicly condemning a law enforcement officer for a shooting in Minneapolis before all the facts are known and before due process has had an opportunity to take place was irresponsible.

That is not how justice works in this country. We do not decide guilt or innocence by headlines, social-media pressure, or political expediency. We decide it through evidence, lawful investigation, and the constitutional protections that apply to everyone- especially when the moment is controversial.

This is not a defense of misconduct. If the investigation determines wrongdoing, then discipline and prosecution should follow. But no elected official has the authority or the moral standing to issue a verdict before the process is complete. Doing so weakens the rule of law and undermines confidence in every institution that depends on it.

Furthermore, using inflammatory statements such as “Those responsible for Ms. Goods death must be held accountable. But we must also recognize that she is not alone. Too many others have been targeted or harmed simply because of who they or for what they stand for.”

Who exactly is being targeted for who they are, for what they believe, and who are they being targeted by? I believe Tulsans deserve an exact explanation. Statements like this only stoke the fires of civil unrest especially when they are not based in fact.

If we expect our communities to act lawfully and peacefully, then those entrusted with power must lead by example. Due process, public order, and civic unity are not partisan values. They are the foundation of a free society-and they must be defended without exception.

Respectfully

Sheriff Vic Regalado

Let me be clear, my comments regarding the incident in Minneapolis was in no way shape or form an attack on law enforcement, my father dedicated his life to police work and there is no way I’d ever want to cast a negative light on those who do the hard work of protecting us everyday.

What I tried to communicate was the acknowledgment that something went tragically wrong and there must be accountability, by way of a thorough investigation into the policy, practices and actions that led to the death of Ms. Good. I stand by that.

All that said, the last thing I’d ever want to do is to divide this community, I’d much prefer to model what unity looks like even in times of great difficulty.

I’m not too proud to recognize my comments alienated some in our law enforcement community and since my grandfather taught me a lessons in humility, I sincerely apologize for that. I also encourage everyone to treat each other with respect while expressing your opinions in the comments. We are all in this together.