In the early morning hours of July 14, 2024, a street fight in a Yukon neighborhood, a suburb of Oklahoma City, escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of William Birdtail, a 49-year-old American Indian/Alaska Native male. The altercation reportedly began as a 'fair fight' between Birdtail's son and another young man. As the initial scuffle progressed and Birdtail's son appeared to be gaining the upper hand, another individual, identified as 21-year-old Ramari Boone-Haye, intervened,
escalating the situation into a larger brawl between two groups.
As the conflict intensified, William Birdtail, a husband and father, stepped in to defend his son. Witnesses reported that Boone-Haye then armed himself with a micro-Draco style assault rifle. Birdtail confronted the armed man, grabbing the barrel of the weapon and telling Boone-Haye he was not going to shoot him. Despite this plea, Boone-Haye is said to have lowered the rifle, chambered a round, and shot Birdtail in the face. This initial shot was followed by multiple other gunshots as Birdtail lay on the ground. The violence did not end there, as Boone-Haye then reportedly struck the fallen man in the head with the barrel of the gun. The entire event unfolded in front of family and witnesses, with one neighbor recalling the harrowing sounds of Birdtail's wife calling his name after the shots were fired and seeing her hold him as he lay dying.
Oklahoma City Police were called to the scene in the 11300 block of N.W. 96th Street around 3:20 a.m. and found William Birdtail deceased from multiple gunshot wounds to his head, face, and body. Ramari Boone-Haye was taken into custody at the scene. During an interview with police, Boone-Haye admitted to shooting Birdtail, stating he was upset because he was being assaulted by several people during the fight. However, he also told investigators that he 'did not feel his life was in danger.' Following the shooting, Boone-Haye allegedly threatened two other individuals by pointing the firearm at them and asking if they 'wanted to be next.'
Ramari Zaishawn Boone-Haye was arrested and booked into the Canadian County Jail. He has since been charged with first-degree murder with deliberate intent and two counts of feloniously pointing a firearm. He faces the possibility of the death penalty or life in prison for the shooting death of William Birdtail.
