Broken Bow woke up to a nightmare after deputies found 21-year-old Braden Uhlmann with a gunshot wound just before 1:00 a.m. Saturday. Neighbors called for help. Paramedics rushed him to a nearby hospital, but Braden did not survive.
The McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office asked the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to take over the probe. OSBI agents were on the scene, gathering evidence and talking with witnesses through the night. Their work led them to 22-year-old Nolan Engel, who had been at the residence when the shooting happened.
Investigators say the evidence points to Engel as the person who fired the shot that killed Braden. Engel was arrested without reported incident and booked into the McCurtain County Jail on a complaint of second-degree murder. Authorities have said no one else was injured.
Friends and family describe Braden as warm and kind — someone who lit up rooms and carried promise for the future. Those who knew him say his sudden death feels impossible to process, and the tight-knit Broken Bow community is rallying around the family in grief.
People living near Rockhill Circle say the street feels different now, quieter and hollowed out by a loss that hits close to home. Vases of flowers, prayer requests, and messages of support started appearing almost immediately from neighbors, classmates, and friends.
OSBI and local law enforcement continue to investigate. Officials urged anyone with information or who was in the area early Saturday morning to come forward to help piece together exactly what happened.
Broken Bow is mourning a young life cut short. Braden’s family, friends, and neighbors are keeping his memory alive by sharing stories of his generosity and steady smile as they search for answers.
