Fatal Shooting Growing Trend at Southeast Oklahoma City Apartments

By Jon Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- For the third time in less than six months a person was shot and killed at the same apartment complex in southeast Oklahoma City.

The apartments called the Wentwood at Grand Hill are located at 416 Tinker Diagonal. The most recent shooting happened at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Police said Anthony Clark, 27, is responsible for the shooting and was arrested on one count of first-degree murder and had an outstanding county warrant.

Neighbors who live in the area said what is happening at the apartments is a reflection of the entire neighborhood. Longtime resident Alma Moore said the area has continued to deteriorate since she moved into the area in the summer of 1998. She said over the last 11 years, homes have stopped being sold and have started being rented.

"My street is still a pretty nice street compared to the area, but I've seen this area go down, down, down," Moore said.

Moore isn't alone in her concerns for her neighborhood.

"We've seen no results of anything accept gangbangers, drug dealers, fighting, and [people] tearing up stuff," said Diana Rivers who has lived in the neighborhood since 1991.

Due to the high crime at the Wentwood at Grand Hill apartments, Oklahoma City Police Spokesperson Sergeant Jennifer Wardlow said police know the area has become a problem and have stepped up patrol.

"Our officers do patrol the complex and are aware that numerous calls have come out of there."

However, residents like Rivers and Moore said to fix the longstanding problems in their neighborhood, the area would need a total makeover.

"Maybe this neighborhood has just been forgotten and we just are not being paid attention to," Moore said.

As for the two previous shootings at the Wentwood at Grand Hill apartment complex, one remains unsolved, and police are still looking for suspects in the other.