TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa police are investigating after they say Luis Hinch, 15, shot and killed Alexander Puentes, 15, at an event in east Tulsa.
The shooting occurred around 9 p.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Church near 31st and 129th.
Police said it happened as the church held an outreach festival. Hundreds of people attended the all-day parish festival at the church. The shooting happened as the event ended.
In an affidavit, police said Puentes and another teen had fought earlier in the day, and that teen then called Hinch to go to the church festival. Police allege Hinch arrived, pulled out a gun and shot Puentes in the stomach.
Emergency crews took Puentes to a hospital, but he died. Police said the third teen returned to the area and they detained and talked to him. They said he identified Hinch as his friend and the shooter. He said Bixby police recently arrested him and Hinch together in a stolen car.
The Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma released a statement about the shooting:
It was with much sorrow that the Catholic Diocese of Tulsa learned of the death of a young man as a result of gun violence at the St. Thomas More Catholic Church in east Tulsa on Sunday night.
An all-day parish festival that was intended to be a time of joy and celebration turned tragic when a young man was shot by someone not affiliated with the parish. The young man was transported to the hospital but, unfortunately, did not survive.
We ask our entire Catholic community to pray for the soul of this young man, and we grieve together with his family and members of the St. Thomas More parish who knew him.
Bishop David Konderla will celebrate a Mass of Healing and Peace for the community at 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Thomas More, 2720 S 129th E Ave., Tulsa.
The Diocese of Tulsa and St. Thomas More wish to extend our most sincere gratitude to the Tulsa Police Department and to the emergency medical professionals for their rapid response to this tragic incident.
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Fue con mucho dolor que la Diócesis Católica de Tulsa se enteró de la muerte de un joven como resultado de la violencia con armas de fuego en la Parroquia Santo Tomás Moro en el este de Tulsa el domingo por la noche.
Una fiesta parroquial de todo el día que estaba destinada a ser un momento de alegría y celebración se volvió trágica cuando un joven fue asesinado por alguien no afiliado a la parroquia. El joven fue trasladado al hospital pero, desafortunadamente, no sobrevivió.
Pedimos a toda nuestra comunidad católica que ore por el alma de este joven, y lloramos junto con su familia y los miembros de la Parroquia Santo Tomás Moro que lo conocieron.
El Obispo David Konderla celebrará una Misa de Sanación y Paz para la comunidad a las 7 p.m. del martes en Santo Tomás Moro, 2720 S 129th E Ave., Tulsa.
La Diócesis de Tulsa y Santo Tomás Moro desean expresar su más sincero agradecimiento al Departamento de Policía de Tulsa y a los profesionales de la medicina de emergencia por su rápida respuesta a este trágico incidente.
Hinch's mother took him to the police department and he turned himself in on July 28th.
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