It's been one week since a murder case hearing erupted into chaos at the Tulsa County Courthouse, leading to a shooting outside in the parking lot.
The hearing was for the murder of a 12-year-old boy and had to be paused because of the shooting, but it resumed Wednesday afternoon.
There were several courthouse deputies inside and outside of the courtroom, and they made everybody sign in before they went inside the courtroom. The courtroom was packed again, and the judge had strict rules for everyone, saying if they were caught using a phone or disrupting court in any way, they would be arrested.
Prosecutors say Tajon Figures and Salathiel Fields shot and killed 12-year-old Steven Bruner outside a party at an Air BnB near Cherry Street on New Year's. They say Alvin Chaplin was the driver. Police say Figures and Fields fired more than 35 shots outside the house in a gang dispute, and they hit Bruner, who police say wasn't the intended target.
Prosecutors say last Wednesday, Alvin Chaplin testified against the two other suspects, which sparked chaos inside and outside the courtroom. The judge cleared everyone out of the courtroom except the victims’ families. Prosecutors say they continued the hearing, but shortly after, shots were fired outside in the parking lot, and the judge paused the hearing.
Police later arrested Travis Ruff, who they say was driving a stolen truck outside the courthouse, and another person in the truck fired shots at a group of people.
When the hearing resumed Wednesday afternoon, the 12-year-old murder victim's cousin testified Ruff was a relative of the victim and was at the Air BnB party the night of the shooting. The hearing finished up without any more problems.
"Obviously, they are screening everybody who came into the courtroom, wanted to know who is coming in here, and I know they were paying a lot more attention down there on the first floor as far as the metal detectors,” said District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler. "It's unfortunate those things happen, but when you've got people who choose to communicate through a gun, probably losing their brain, so to speak, and let a gun do their talking, of course now we've got somebody charged with a crime."
The judge ruled Wednesday there is enough evidence for Tajon Figures and Salathiel Fields to move toward a trial. They are all due back in court later this month.
Police are still looking for the person who fired the shots outside the courthouse.
