A recent study ranks Oklahoma first in the country for domestic violence, and it can come in many forms.
The recent murder-suicide in Broken Arrow involving two siblings is also considered domestic violence despite it being unconventional.
Capt. Josh McCoy of Broken Arrow Police Department said the numbers don’t lie, “We’ve seen too many of these. Specifically, over the last couple of years, we’ve seen too many involving kids.”
- Previous coverage >>> Oklahoma continues to lead nation in new domestic violence statistics
With Oklahoma being No. 1 for domestic violence, police said there’s no room to be stagnant. It’s getting to be a lot for police and communities to handle.
“It’s one of the hardest things in the world you could have had happen to you,” said Gary Crittenden, a neighbor.
To help combat the state-wide uptick, Capt. McCoy said BAPD partnered with Tulsa’s Domestic Violence Intervention Services or DVIS. Together, they’re hosting public forums for the community to ask questions. They’re also going into the schools and reinforcing the phrase, “if you hear something, say something” to students.