Issac Sanders, 15, was shot in the head on October 21, 2022, at the home of his girlfriend in Watonga, Ok. He was flown to Oklahoma City, Ok to the OU Trauma Center, where he spent a week in ICU, batteling for his life. 

 

His girlfriend says that he shot himself in the head with a 38 special revolver holding 38 special hollowpoint bullets. 

In ICU, the doctors brought him out of sedation and questioned him about the shooting. He stated that he DID NOT shoot himself. The hospital staff then notified OKC police department about the incident, and an osbi agent was called out to the hospital to get  information that had been sent to me, and talk to Issac about the incident. I thought he was ready, at this point, to talk to them, but he wasn't. At this point in time, Issac's brain was very swollen. He had told his dad that someone else had shot him. The OSBI investigator told me that if I thought he would be able to talk to him at a later date, to let him know and he would come back out and try again. 

The Watonga Police department never once reached out to myself or our family, about the incident. We had to call them to find out where they were in the investigation, but when we did, they didn't have much to offer us, and didn't even ask about how he was doing. As a matter of fact, they were very smitten about anything they had to say to us. 

I attempted, on several occasions, as did my ex-husband, to contact the Watonga PD and ask about the investigataion, and to try to offer more info that had come to light on the situation, and tried to get someone to the hospital to talk to Issac. But noone would hear us out. All they told me was that if I had any more information on the incident, I would have to come to Watonga and fill out a report. I would not leave my sons side, and tried to explain this to them, but they just kept telling me to come to Watonga to fill out a police report on the incident. (Mind you, Watonga is almost an hour and a half from where the hospital we were at, and I don't drive, AND my son was in the hospital, fighting for his life.)

Issac has made great strides in his recovery. He has amazed everyone who has come in contact with him. Initially, we weren't sure if he was going to be the same young man that everyone had grown to love and adore, but he showed us something very different! He has recovered from this tragedy with leaps and bounds. 

On November 15, 2022, Issac had surgery to try to remove the bullet that had lodged in his brain & to repair the damage that the bullet did. We didn't realize just how extensive the damage was. The dura, or the protective layer that surrounds the brain, was completely shredded, and the cranial bones were almost shattered. The neurosurgeons had to use a graft to repair the dura and titanium plates, 2 large ones at the top of his skull, & 3 smaller ones on the right side of his skull, where the bullet entered his head. And....they were able to retrieve the bullet! They placed a drain at the top of his skull to drain the cerebrospinal fluid from his brain, which was removed merely 2 days later. We were discharged from the hospital 3 days after his surgery!

 

We came home exactly 4 weeks from the date of the incident, and now are hearing that the Watonga PD is "wrapping the investigation up and going to be sending it over to the DA for review". WHAT INVESTIGATION???. The mother of the girl whom my son calims to have been shot by has known for a couple of weeks now that they were going to be closing the case!

 I want to know why the Watonga Police Department hasn't even attempted to try to talk to my son, or myself, about the information that has come to light since the incident. I also want to know why the Watonga Police Department didn't secure the scene and do a thorough investigation of the house. I want balistics run on the gun that was involved, as well as the bullet that was removed from my sons head, WHICH REMAINS AT THE OKC POLICE DEPARTMENT! I want JUSTICE FOR MY SON!!! I want answers to exactly what happened that morning, no matter what they are. I want my sons voice to be heard. 

The people of Watonga, Ok and Blaine County need to feel protected, safe and secure in our homes, and in our communities. We need to know that our law enforcement are willing to do what they are expected to do for our safety and the safety of our children. We need to know that they are going to do everything that they can do to thoroughly investigate incidents in the community, WITHOUT BIAS. Our children need to know that they can trust the people who have been entrusted to uphold the law without the fear of retaliation. Our children need to feel comfortable with the fact that if law enforcement doesn't have the capabilities to do so, they will reach out to others who do have those capabilities to get the job done in a way that is fair and just! Our children also need to know that they have a voice and will be heard when something like this happens, and can feel confident that they will be protected if God forbid, something like this ever happens again.