Preliminary hearing set in Tulsa fatal shootings
TULSA, Okla. — A preliminary hearing will begin Wednesday in Tulsa County District Court for the two men accused of fatally shooting three black people and wounding two more in what authorities describe as racially motivated shootings.
Nineteen-year-old Jake England and 33-year-old Alvin Watts are facing murder and hate crimes charges stemming from the Easter weekend shootings that killed William Allen, Bobby Clark and Dannaer Fields as they were walking near their homes in Tulsa.
The preliminary hearing will allow a judge to decide if prosecutors have enough evidence to proceed to trial. Prosecutors say they plan on calling at least a dozen witnesses during the hearing.
Some members of the black community say they’ll be in attendance Wednesday to send a message to the accused shooters that they are watching them.