Keelin Wayne Kennedy, an 18-year-old White male from Lawton, Oklahoma, lost his life on June 25, 2023. The fatal incident occurred just after midnight while he was at a party with others.
The gathering took place in the 4000 block of Northwest Ozmun Avenue. According to authorities, another partygoer, Henry Pohawpatchoko, began handling a firearm. Pohawpatchoko later told police he was “messing” with a friend’s gun.
A witness provided a more detailed account to investigators, stating that Pohawpatchoko pulled the gun from a pack to inspect it. The witness said he pulled the slide back, asked if the weapon was loaded, and pulled the trigger, but it did not fire. Court documents allege that Pohawpatchoko then pulled the slide back a second time and pulled the trigger again. On this second attempt, the gun fired, striking and killing Keelin.
Pohawpatchoko reportedly told police that he ran from the scene as soon as he realized he had shot Keelin. When Lawton Police Department officers arrived, they found Keelin with a critical gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries. During the investigation, witnesses at the party identified Henry Pohawpatchoko as the shooter. Authorities located and arrested him.
On June 28, 2023, the Comanche County District Attorney’s Office formally charged Henry Pohawpatchoko with one count of second-degree murder, a crime punishable by ten years to life in prison. A judge set his bond at $300,000. A preliminary hearing conference in the case was scheduled for September 11, 2023. As of that month, the case against Pohawpatchoko was proceeding through the court system.
