In the early evening of what would become a tragic day in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Rickia Deon Crawford, a 31-year-old female, found her life cut short in a harrowing series of events. On April 11, 2022, police responded to calls concerning a man, unclothed and armed with an assault rifle, who was erratically firing the weapon at the Crossings at Minshall Park Apartments.
The man was identified as Dwayne Jackson, who was in a relationship with Crawford.
Upon their arrival at the apartment complex located near 81st and Sheridan, officers were confronted with a volatile and dangerous scene. Both Rickia Crawford and Jackson's own mother were present, making desperate attempts to de-escalate the situation and calm the agitated man. As law enforcement officers approached, Crawford positioned herself between them and Jackson, verbally pleading with them not to open fire. In a sudden and shocking turn, Jackson aimed his rifle at Crawford and fired a single, fatal shot into her chest at point-blank range.
The immediate aftermath of the shooting was swift and final. In response to Jackson's deadly action against Crawford, two police officers on the scene discharged their weapons, striking him. Both Rickia Crawford and Dwayne Jackson were rushed to a nearby hospital, but their injuries proved to be too severe, and both were pronounced dead. In the wake of the incident, the two officers involved were placed on paid administrative leave, a standard procedure in officer-involved shootings, pending a full investigation into the tragic deaths.
