Police Say Suspect's Gun Jammed In OU Fraternity Shooting

Norman Police say if it weren't for a jammed gun, several students could have ended up being shot Wednesday night.

After 11 p.m. Wednesday, Norman Police say 21-year-old OU student Vincent Valentin crashed his pickup through the back fence of the Phi Gamma Delta or “Fiji” fraternity house. Investigators say he got out of the truck and started shooting into the house.

“I heard a loud crash,” said OU student Nate Fain, who lives next to the fraternity house.

Fain rushed outside, thinking he had heard an accident and the driver needed help.

“The guy opened the door and cocked the gun. He started firing the gun into the air,” said Fain, who quickly went back inside.

Two bullets struck the Phi Gamma Delta house, but investigators have confirmed to News 9 that fraternity members confronted Valentin who raised his gun at them and pulled the trigger again.

“There was some sort of malfunction that prevented the gun from firing, thankfully,” said Norman Police Public Information Officer, Sarah Jensen.

Officers say Valentin also threw a hatchet at fraternity members before running off. No fraternity members were hurt.

In the front yard of a home less than 100 yards away, Valentin was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police say right before crashing his pickup at the fraternity house, Valentin was spotted at a Norman Walmart on the 3600 block of S. Classen Blvd. Police say an employee spotted him using the hatchet to hack at trees and shrubs outside the store.

“The individual pointed a gun at the employee,” said Jensen, who says Valentin quickly left.

Valentin’s twitter account show a picture of him holding a pistol. He also makes references of being bullied and murdering people. Police are now working on a connection with him and Walmart, including the belief he may have been a former employee.

Investigators are also trying to figure out the connection with the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.

“We know there was a prior relationship with them, as a group, and there were some issues that had come up and they believe this could have somehow contributed the this incident,” said Jensen.