OKLAHOMA CITY — A deadly confrontation outside a downtown Oklahoma City hotel early Sunday morning claimed the life of a young security guard and led to the arrest of a teenage suspect. Police say the shooting happened outside the Wyndham Grand Hotel and marks the city’s second homicide of 2026, sending shockwaves through the community.
Officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department were called to the hotel near Broadway Avenue and Sheridan Avenue shortly before 2:40 a.m. When they arrived, they found a security guard lying in the parking lot with a gunshot wound. The victim was identified as 22-year-old Sunjun July. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but later died from his injuries, according to OKCPD Master Sergeant Gary Knight.
Another hotel employee was also hurt during the incident. Police said the employee was pistol-whipped during the confrontation and taken to the hospital for treatment. That employee was later released and is expected to recover. Authorities said both workers were performing their duties when the situation escalated.
Investigators believe the incident began when a group of juveniles entered the hotel lobby and were asked to leave by security staff. Police say the group complied at first, but the situation quickly turned violent outside in the parking lot. A physical altercation broke out involving at least one juvenile and the two hotel employees.
During the fight, detectives say 16-year-old Warren Colbert pulled out a handgun. Police believe Colbert shot Sunjun July and then struck the second employee with the weapon. Investigators also said the teen accidentally shot himself in the leg during the encounter, adding to the chaos of the scene.
After the shooting, Colbert fled on foot but was found by officers a short time later. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of his leg injury and then booked into the Juvenile Detention Center on a murder complaint. The case remains under investigation, and police are asking anyone with information to call the Homicide Tip-Line at (405) 297-1200. As the investigation continues, family, friends, and coworkers are mourning the loss of a young man who was killed while trying to keep others safe.
