OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City police received several different calls to the area of SW 34th and Harvey the evening of September 8th.
They quickly realized all the calls were connected.
They were from men who had been lured to a house on SW 34th through the gay dating app “grindr.”
The men showed up thinking they were meeting someone from the app and instead they were held against their will and robbed.
All of the victims described a creepy scene in the back part of the small house, saying it was so dark, they couldn’t tell what was going on.
“There was only one light in that garage and a couple of victims actually described stepping over what they thought was trash and it turned out to be several of the other live victims who were lying on the floor,” said Officer Megan Morgan.
The victims, at least 5 of them, showed up in 15 minute increments, each one held at gunpoint while they were ordered to hand over their belongings.
“Different credit cards, they even asked for the victim’s pin numbers. They stole cell phones, keys to cars and one victim even reported that they asked for the title or deed to the car as well,” said Officer Morgan.
The last victim to arrive did not comply and instead made a break for it.
The other victims reported hearing gunshots as the robbers chased after him.
“We didn’t have any victims come forward to say they were shot at but because that distraction happened out in front of the house, it allowed the victims time to escape,” said Officer Morgan.
At least one neighbor called police about the chaotic scene.
“There was some gunshots and there’s some guys running on the streets trying to get into the houses, like I guess they were chasing them,” said one 911 caller.
“I was just robbed at gunpoint and my car stolen and everything,” said one of the victims when he called 911 after he was able to make his way to a nearby gas station.
“They have like 5 or 6 people there and he got a gun,” said another victim on his call to 911.
A friend of one of the victims told us his friend thought the suspects were going to kill him.
“They keep them like hostage in the house so he was like I’m going to die. But he was like I gotta find a way to get out but he said it was dark in the house,” said the man who didn’t want to be identified.
Police have arrested Deaunte McPherson, 31, in connection to the crime.
He is charged with robbery with a firearm and kidnapping.
But police say they are still searching for two more men and one more woman suspect.
According to court documents, several other robberies have occurred close to that same area and have involved dating apps and prostitution.
