Several React After OKC Ranked Second Most Dangerous City

According to a new study, Oklahoma City is the second most dangerous city in the entire nation, but a city spokesperson said Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett isn't buying it.

Friday, September 12th 2014, 10:39 pm

By: News 9

Several React After OKC Ranked Second Most Dangerous City

According to a new study, Oklahoma City is the second most dangerous city in the entire nation, but a city spokesperson said Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett isn't buying it.

Several News 9 viewers and Oklahoma City visitors felt the same way.

The study is really hard to believe. Most of the time, when studies like this come out, most people just read the headline and maybe the first few sentences, and never actually take a look at the study itself.

We talked to a criminologist who told us this most recent one just doesn't make logical sense.

“I don't know who was doing the rating," said Randy Bell visiting from Tennessee. "I wouldn't give them too much credit though.”

“A little shocking. I mean, walking around down here, I would be a little shocked to believe that this is dangerous,” Joe Blazier, who is also visiting Oklahoma City, said.

According to MyLife.com, Oklahoma City is extremely dangerous, In fact, Oklahoma City is the second most dangerous city in the United States.

9/11/2014 Related Story: Study: Tulsa, OKC Among Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities In The U.S.

“Yes, very surprised. Very surprised,” Donna Bell said.

“Maybe they're just trying to bring up stuff to make it seem more dangerous,” Blake McDaniel from Edmond said.

That's exactly what criminologist Dr. Harvey Kurtz believes. He calls the study inaccurate and flawed with no weight.

“To say that Oklahoma City and Tulsa are more dangerous, for example, than Chicago, you know, that's a pretty big step," said Dr. Kurtz. "They're getting way away from their data.”

This particular study started with a list of 200 of the most populous cities across the country and then ranked them in a number of categories, including officers per capita, traffic fatalities, violent crime and sex offenders. There's even a category for the number of people enrolled in health care.

“You're getting so far away from that information that it just doesn't make any logical sense to add these things together,” Dr. Kurtz said.

The study also uses FBI data, and Dr. Kurtz said another probability is that Oklahoma City and Tulsa may do a better job than most cities reporting crimes, making it seem as if they're more dangerous.

“It's not Detroit, you know, Chicago. I think I would be kind of worried, but it's Oklahoma City,” McDaniel said.

You might be surprised how some of the country's most dangerous cities are ranked on the study.

Read the complete study.