Mitchell Folsom, 50, was shot and killed by Tulsa police on May 12, 2026, after a violent domestic incident escalated into a crash and armed confrontation near 36th Street North and Hartford Avenue.
Police say the chain of events began inside a Nissan Frontier pickup truck when Folsom allegedly fired a shot at his girlfriend while she was driving. The bullet missed her but went through the driver’s side window, causing her to lose control and crash into a Ford F‑150 near the intersection of 36th Street North and Hartford. The Ford rolled onto its side, injuring its occupants .
After the crash, Folsom reportedly told his girlfriend he was “not going back to prison” and fled the scene. Witnesses said he pointed a gun at the driver of the Ford before running toward Walt Whitman Elementary School. Officers arriving in the area used drones and K‑9 units to track him into a wooded area, where he was found hiding in a pond .
Police say Folsom refused commands to show his hands and made threatening movements as he emerged from the water. Officers opened fire, killing him at the scene. Tulsa Police Captain Richard Meulenberg described the incident as “a huge series of events” that endangered the girlfriend, innocent motorists, and nearby schoolchildren .
Investigators later confirmed that Folsom had been released from prison just six weeks earlier. His criminal history spans nearly 30 years, including charges for drugs, burglary, fleeing police, and violent confrontations. In 2020, he was charged with murder in a stabbing case, though that charge was later dropped. He had previously been involved in multiple standoffs with police .
Per department policy, the officers directly involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues. Once complete, the findings will be forwarded to the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office to determine whether the use of deadly force was justified .