Oklahoma – A tragic incident in a small Oklahoma community has left one man seriously injured and sparked widespread concern over property disputes turning violent. M. Stevens, 41, has been charged with multiple offenses after shooting two neighbors over a disagreement related to land clearing near his property. The altercation has raised alarming questions about the dangerous escalation of property disagreements.
According to affidavits and police reports, officers responded to an emergency call on the afternoon of September 13. Upon arrival, they found one victim with two gunshot wounds to his lower back, suggesting he was shot while attempting to flee. The injured man, along with another unscathed individual, had been hired by their property owner to clear brush and trees from a newly purchased five-acre plot adjacent to Stevens’ property.
Eyewitnesses and police bodycam footage painted a tense scene, with a neighbor identifying Stevens as the shooter. Stevens, who appeared intoxicated, surrendered to police without resistance.
During his arrest, Stevens expressed his frustration with the noise and activity from the land-clearing work, claiming the sound of chainsaws triggered his anger. After confronting the neighbors, one allegedly “gave him an attitude.” Stevens then went back to his home, retrieved an AR-15-style rifle, and opened fire, wounding one of the men and shooting at their vehicle. The vehicle, which was later found filled with bullet holes, crashed into a tree due to the injuries sustained by the driver.
The affidavit revealed that Stevens later confessed to his wife over the phone, admitting he had shot the workers out of anger over the land-clearing activity. Stevens faces charges of two counts of shooting with intent to kill and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, a charge exacerbated by his previous conviction for DUI in 2016, which prohibited him from owning firearms.
Stevens has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The case has attracted considerable attention due to the severity of the accusations and the broader implications for land ownership and property disputes. The local community is in shock, grappling with the idea that what many considered a minor disagreement led to a violent crime. The victims, who were simply carrying out work for their employer, found themselves in a dangerous and life-threatening situation.
The injured victim is currently recovering in the hospital, undergoing treatment for gunshot wounds and the psychological trauma caused by the incident. The legal process is ongoing, with a court date set for December 13. As the community and families await a resolution, law enforcement and legal experts are carefully analyzing the case, ensuring a fair trial in this complex situation.
