On the evening of October 3, 2018, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 31-year-old Sammy Atkinson Jr., a Black male, was fatally shot in his apartment at the City Heights North Apartments on Candlewood Drive. Atkinson, who was a paraplegic and used a wheelchair, was confronted by an intruder who had broken into his residence around 8:30 p.m. A struggle ensued between Atkinson and the assailant.
Despite his physical limitations, Atkinson managed to get the intruder in a bear hug.
However, during the altercation, the intruder shot Atkinson in the chest. Emergency services were called to the scene, but Atkinson was pronounced dead from the gunshot wounds. His death marked the 50th homicide in Oklahoma City that year. Friends and family described Atkinson as a caring individual who had faced significant adversity in his life, including being paralyzed from the waist down after being shot years earlier.
The investigation into the homicide led police to identify 18-year-old Jefferey McCoy as the suspect. According to witness statements, McCoy had entered Atkinson's apartment demanding the return of his brother's backpack, which allegedly contained a firearm. The confrontation over the backpack escalated, leading to the fatal shooting.
Jefferey McCoy was subsequently arrested and charged with the murder of Sammy Atkinson Jr. He was later found guilty of second-degree murder and received a 20-year prison sentence. In addition to the murder conviction, McCoy was also found guilty on two counts of pointing a firearm, which added an additional two years to his sentence for each count.
