Oklahoma City police responded to a shooting outside Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night as Thunder players and fans celebrated the team’s 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers in the street surrounding the Paycom Center.
One unidentified victim is expected to fully recover and another was detained, according to a police statement. Authorities do not believe the incident was related to the Thunder’s championship victory over the visiting Pacers, but rather an unrelated fight.
The local Fox affiliate was setting up a post-game shot outside the arena when gunfire was heard in downtown Oklahoma City, according to a story on the network’s website.
Oklahoma City Police have not issued any subsequent statements, other than to wish Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton a ‘quick recovery’ from the lower leg injury that ended his night in the first quarter on Sunday.
‘[Dude] is a dog on the court,’ read Oklahoma City Police’s late-night post on X.
Oklahoma City has faced its share of issues related to gun violence. In 2024, the city’s homicide count jumped to 78 – higher than the previous two years.
Oklahoma City police responded to a shooting outside Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night as Thunder players and fans celebrated the team’s 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers
Oklahoma City police said the victim is expected to make a full recovery after the shooting
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates in the locker room
Fans are seen celebrating the Thunder’s first NBA title since moving to Oklahoma City
Gun violence has tarnished several recent championship parades in both the United States and Canada.
In 2019, Toronto police arrested three suspects after four people were wounded in a shooting during the Raptors’ NBA championship parade. More recently, in February of 2024, one person was killed and 22 others were wounded during a massing shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade.
The Thunder are planning to hold a parade at 10:30am local time on Tuesday in Oklahoma City, where temperatures are expected to exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
This will be the city’s first championship parade since the former Seattle SuperSonics moved to the Sooner State in 2008.
