Court documents describe an argument involving an accusation of flirting, while the man accused in the shooting reportedly claimed self-defense.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — A 43-year-old man died after he was shot during a confrontation at an Oklahoma City hotel, and another man was taken into custody on a murder complaint, according to police and court documents cited by local news organizations.
The victim, identified as Myron Cooper, called 911 late July 23 and reported that he had been shot, according to reports based on information from Oklahoma City police. Officers found Cooper near Southeast 15th Street and Interstate 35 at about 11:30 p.m. Investigators determined that the shooting had occurred earlier at a hotel in the 6100 block of North Santa Fe Avenue.
Cooper had apparently tried to drive himself to a hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest, according to court documents. Emergency crews took him to a hospital, where he underwent surgery but later died. Authorities have not publicly released additional medical details.
Detectives identified Berry Russell Jr., 54, as the other man involved in the confrontation. Police arrested Russell and booked him on a murder complaint. A complaint is an accusation, and available reports did not establish that prosecutors had filed a formal criminal charge by Wednesday.
Court documents obtained by KOCO said Cooper became angry because he believed Russell had flirted with Cooper’s wife. The disagreement escalated at the hotel, according to the documents. Police have not publicly described every step of the confrontation or said whether surveillance video captured the shooting.
Russell acknowledged shooting Cooper but told investigators he acted in self-defense, according to the court documents. The complete account he gave detectives was not immediately available, and authorities had not announced whether investigators believed the evidence supported his claim.
Self-defense claims in fatal shootings are evaluated through witness statements, physical evidence, video recordings and other facts surrounding the confrontation. Police had not released information about where the firearm was recovered, how many shots were fired or whether other people were in immediate danger.
The accounts available Wednesday did not explain what Cooper’s wife witnessed or whether she spoke with investigators. Authorities also had not released the names of other potential witnesses or provided details about the relationship between Cooper and Russell before the hotel encounter.
Homicide detectives continued reviewing the shooting and gathering evidence. Police asked anyone with information to contact the Oklahoma City Police Department’s homicide tip line at 405-297-1200. No court date or charging decision had been publicly confirmed.
Author note: Last updated July 29, 2026.