Deputy Warden D. C. Oates

D. C. Oates

Deputy Warden D.C. Oates, Sergeant Fred Godfrey, and Correctional Officer Herman H. Drover were shot and killed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary by three prisoners who were attempting to escape. A former Oklahoma congressman visiting the prison was also killed and three others were shot and wounded.

No one seemed to know exactly how, but each of the three prisoners had obtained a revolver. As they ran towards the front gate they shot everyone they saw and begged other inmates to join them, but no other inmates did. As they reached the front gate and fled outside guards opened fire on the escapees, killing all three.

Deputy Warden Oates had been with the agency for seven years and was survived by his wife and five children.