TULSA - Police are taking advantage of what it's calling a "lull" in murders to try and prevent more from happening.
The night shift is unpredictable.
2 Works for You was riding with Officer Tempest Thorp when shots rang out.
The Tulsa Police department's homicide unit is keeping a close eye on violent crimes like this one to hopefully prevent it from escalating to something more.
“They’re actively working these more violent crimes that don’t result in a murder," said Sergeant Dave Walker of TPD's Homicide Unit.
Wednesday's victim was shot but is still alive.
However, an investigation on a case like this could lose its priority if a murder happens or the victim decides not to press charges.
“If we don’t get them out of here, then they’re free," he said.
The case could live on a desk like Walker's for months before any action takes place, giving the shooter a chance to strike again.
“It doesn’t do me any good to keep it in here saying ah ha I knew that person.”
So now he has time to collect "intel" on these other violent crimes and push the information to people like Officer Thorp.
“You can always give it second and third tries," she said.
Without her work officers may not have caught the teen charged with killing a Broken Arrow teacher last year.
“The person named as a suspect I had come in contact with a couple days before," she said.
“We immediately came out and said who's the burglars in this neighborhood, and she came out with her little computer with pictures," Sgt. Walker said.
Her "proactive policing" kick-started the investigation.
“We are trying to predict who the next person is who is going to shoot.”
But Walker hopes with more time they can catch those suspects before the next crime is committed.
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