Inmate Death Reported at Oklahoma County Jail

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A 36-year-old inmate was discovered dead inside his cell at the Oklahoma County Detention Center, jail officials said Monday.

Kyle Shaw was found unresponsive about 4:49 a.m. Sunday as staff was serving breakfast, jail spokesman Mark Opgrande said in a statement.

Detention officers immediately began life-saving efforts and called paramedics, but Shaw was pronounced dead at 5:34 a.m., Opgrande said.

Shaw was booked into jail in May 2021. Court records show he was facing a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Jail officials said they are investigating Shaw’s death, and the state medical examiner will determine the cause.

Shaw’s is the second death reported in the jail so far this year.

A trust took over operation of the jail from the sheriff’s office in 2020. Since then, it has come under fire because of inmate deaths, escapes and other incidents.

That criticism intensified after an inmate was shot and killed by police after taking a detention officer hostage last year.

Kyle Shaw