Muskogee Man Shot In Head While Driving To Work In Critical Condition

Monday, June 2nd 2014, 12:27 pm

By: Tess Maune

A Muskogee man is in critical condition after police say he was shot driving to work. Police say the victim met a strange man outside his house just before the shooting.

Police say the man asked for a smoke, the victim told the stranger he didn't have any cigarettes; not long after, he was shot.

All was calm and quiet Monday evening on Court Street in Muskogee; the way residents say it almost always is.

Our neighborhood's a nice neighborhood, this part of it," said Merri Davila.

Davila said her street is mostly made up of senior citizens, children and pets; but around 5:30 Monday morning, Davila awoke to something very out-of-the ordinary.

"I heard some gun shots, it got my attention, so, I got out of bed and came outside," she said.

Police said several shots were fired at 50-year-old Randy Smith, in his pickup driving to work. All but one of the bullets missed, that bullet lodged in the back of Smith's head.

Police say after Smith was shot, he crashed his pickup, but was able to call 911.

"Very scary, very scary," Davila said.

Police said just before the victim had left for work a man approached him at a house and asked for a cigarette. The victim was able to give police a description.

Smith described the stranger as a man, about 6 feet tall and 180 pounds, wearing dark pants and a dark hooded sweatshirt.

Corporal Michael Mahan said it's too soon to know if that stranger was the shooter.

"At this time we don't really know if he's a suspect or potentially he's just a witness. We don't have anyone right now who actually saw the individual who fired the shots," Mahan said.

Mahan is now hoping those who live on the sleepy street can help officers track down the person who pulled the trigger. He said any information is better than no information at all.

"Anything, you may not think it's something, but it could be something valuable to us," said Mahan.

Police said if that stranger is not the shooter, they hope he will come forward with possible information about what he may have seen.

If you do know something, the number to call is 918-682-2677.