Myrna Daniels, a 61-year-old Black female, was shot and killed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on May 1, 2024, as she was leaving for her job at the Tulsa County Court Clerk's Office. The incident, which colleagues described as a 'senseless act of violence,' stemmed from an ongoing dispute with a neighbor over her brother's cigarette smoking.
The conflict escalated in the week leading up to the fatal shooting.
Daniels' neighbor, Brent Dean Austin, had reportedly confronted her and her brother about the smoking. A day before the shooting, Austin allegedly pointed a gun at the siblings and threatened to kill them both if the smoking continued near his apartment. Fearing for her safety, Daniels had reportedly sought help from her apartment manager and had filed for a protective order.
On the morning of May 1, 2024, at approximately 7:30 a.m., as Myrna Daniels was leaving her apartment for work, Austin was allegedly waiting for her. He is accused of shooting her multiple times, with reports indicating she was shot in the head and neck. Daniels' brother witnessed the horrific event. After the shooting, Austin barricaded himself inside his apartment, leading to a police standoff.
Law enforcement responded to multiple calls about the shooting at the apartment complex located near 17th and Southwest Boulevard. Upon arrival, they found Daniels with several gunshot wounds. She was transported to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Following the standoff, Brent Dean Austin, 25, was arrested in connection with her death. He has been charged with murder and is being held without bond.
