In a shocking incident during a bachelor party in Oklahoma, a groom is accused of fatally shooting a friend after mistaking him for an intruder. The tragic event unfolded at a rental cabin in Broken Bow, where authorities say the groom reacted to a shadowy figure knocking at the door.
According to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, 22-year-old Nolan Engel was taken into custody after deputies responded to a report of a shooting at an Airbnb cabin. They arrived to find 21-year-old Braden Uhlman with a gunshot wound to the chest, ultimately proving fatal, just before 1 a.m. on Saturday.
The McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office quickly involved the OSBI to conduct a thorough investigation into what they described as a “suspicious death.”
Upon their arrival, OSBI agents reported that Engel spontaneously admitted to being the shooter, a revelation documented in court papers obtained by local station KXII.
Engel told investigators he was vacationing with three friends for his bachelor party when he heard an unsettling noise outside. Alarmed by the presence of what he perceived to be a shadowy figure, he armed himself with a 9mm handgun, according to court records.
In a tragic turn, Engel reportedly fired a shot through the door, only to find Uhlman, his friend, lying on the porch with a gunshot wound to the chest, as per details shared by the media outlet.
Uhlmann was taken to a local hospital, but later died, investigators said.
It is unclear whether Uhlmann was part of the planned bachelor party trip or if he was arriving to surprise the four men.
“Based on the information and evidence obtained, it was determined that Engel shot Uhlmann,” the OSBI wrote in a statement.
Uhlmann, who was born in Minnesota, was remembered in an obituary as a “lifelong athlete” whose “love for football began early” and carried him through a successful athletic career at Kilgore College in Texas.
He later attended Stephen F. Austin State University, where he was set to graduate with a degree in accounting in December, according to the obituary.
“Brady was a respectful man, he always opened car doors for ladies, held a door for anyone, and addressed people politely with a ‘yes ma’am or yes sir,” the obituary said.
“Brady’s love extended far beyond his biological family; he was a son to many. To the families in Minnesota and Texas who claimed him as one of your own, THANK YOU for loving him as we did.”
Engel, meanwhile, was charged with second-degree murder and was released from the McCurtain County Jail after posting his $250,000 bond.
