TULSA, Okla. — Oklahoma prosecutors filed murder and hate-crime charges yesterday against two men arrested in an Easter-weekend shooting spree that left three people dead and terrorized Tulsa’s black community.
Jake England, 19, and roommate Alvin Watts, 33, are charged with three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of shooting with intent to kill and five counts of malicious harassment.
Under state law, first-degree murder is punishable by death or life in prison.
The harassment counts allege the victims were targeted because of their race.
Police say the men, who were arrested early Sunday, appeared to have chosen their victims at random.
All the victims were black and police have said one motive may have been England’s desire to avenge his father’s fatal shooting by a black man two years ago.