Brooke Arbeitman, a bureau spokeswoman, said via text message: “These people were executed. Not randomly shot and killed.” She added that the suspect — whose identity authorities are not releasing, because they believe that may put additional individuals in danger — is “considered armed and dangerous.”
Deputies with the Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call Sunday about a hostage situation along North 2760 Road, west of Hennessey, when they arrived at the marijuana farm.
There were “several employees” present with the victims, three men and one woman, authorities said.
Another person, also a Chinese national, was wounded and flown to a hospital, according to the statement.
Families of the victims have not yet been notified, because of to a “significant language barrier,” the statement said.
The Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office referred questions about the case to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Local television station KFOR reported that the 10-acre farm appeared to be a marijuana growing operation, quoting State Bureau of Investigation Capt. Stan Florence. State voters legalized medical marijuana in 2018.
The sheriff’s office requested assistance from the State Bureau of Investigation. Authorities spent Sunday and part of Monday going door-to-door and using helicopters and drones to search the farm, KFOR reported.
Florence told KFOR that investigators believe the killer and victims knew one another.
“Don’t know if they’re related, don’t know if they were co-workers, but, certainly these individuals, or we believe, all familiar with each other,” he said.
Read More: Four Chinese nationals ‘executed’ at pot farm in Oklahoma, authorities say
