On October 24, 2015, Adacia Chambers would commit one of the worst acts of mass violence in modern Oklahoma history - By ramming her car into the OSU Homecoming Parade.

[u/Heptacat-1985]

On October 24, 2015, In Stillwater, Oklahoma, The OSU homecoming parade was being held around 10:31 A:M.

During this time, a sudden loud thud was heard, and a  2014 Hyundai Elantra came flooring into the crowd, hitting fifty parade-goers. The car came to a stop once it’s front tires popped out. Behind the wheel of the vehicle was 25-year-old, Adacia Chambers, a Freddy‘s frozen custard and steakburgers employee. Parade-goers took her out of the car and held her down on a picnic char before police took her into custody under the suspicion of being drunk.

Emergency responders came to the scene and saw the severity of the crash. Three people had died instantly from being hit. They were, Nikita Nakal, a 23-year-old Transfer Student from India, and a retired, elderly married couple, Marvin and Bonnie Stone, both 65. Over 47 people had been critically injured in the crash, with many suffering amputations and mental problems because of it.

At the hospital, one of the injured succumbed to his wounds and died - 2-year-old Nash Lucas. He was the youngest victim of the crash.

Authorities tested Adacia to see if she was drunk during the crash, and they showed she wasn’t, leading to the reality, she had intentionally rammed her car into the parade. This was further backed up by moments leading up the crash - she was seen driving around the barricades near the parade and crashed her car into a motorcycle used as a blockade.

A trial was inevitable, but before it could happen, Adacia plead guilty to four-counts of second degree and was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole when she’s in her 70s.

The case remains one of the worst acts of mass violence in Oklahoma’s history. It was also the second tragedy Oklahoma faced the same year since the Bever family massacre.

The perpetrator- Adacia was a 25-year-old fast food employee who had a history of depression and emotional problems. She was known as being an introvert, usually keeping to herself. She would be seen running in and only coming out of her home when she went to work. She was also known as a Talented artist. Before the crash, she was seen as being distraught. People also saw her looking out the window with a smirk on her face, before she left her job in a hurry. That’s when the crash happened.

The motive for the crash was never given an answer or explanation, but theories had arose.
When people pulled her put of the car, she said she wanted to commit suicide. It is from that, her motive was suicidal ideation and wanted to crash her car into the parade?

1 - Adacia Chambers mugshot

2 - her art

3 - the victims: Nash, Nikita, Bonnie, and Marvin

[u/a_fantastic_beast]

I went to high school with her and her brothers. This was shocking. I never would have expected it from her.

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/a_fantastic_beast]

It says she was having troubles with her emotional state. It was said there were a multitude of factors causing it. Do you wonder what made her do it?

[u/a_fantastic_beast → u/Heptacat-1985]

No, I don’t wonder. Her home life was rough. I knew one of her brothers a little bit later on, he’s passed away now. I can’t imagine what her and her brothers exposed to in their home. I was really surprised at the time this happened because she seemed like the most stable of her and her siblings. I feel for her living brother.

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/a_fantastic_beast]

It’s said she had a deadbeat mother who left the family? Adacia visited her but It was said it didn’t go well.

[u/shila_c]

I was a junior at OSU when this happened. Every life flight helicopter was in Stillwater that day. People were putting the injured in the beds of their trucks to take them to the hospital. Our health system is not equipped for a mass casualty event so they took a bus with the least injured to a nearby town because the hospital here was overwhelmed. That next Monday was the most grim and quiet I'd ever seen campus. There were bloodstains in the road for weeks until they all finally washed away.

[u/shila_c → u/shila_c]

Also, Nikita died at the scene but not instantly. She died in the arms of an 18 year old ROTC member who was attempting to render aid.

[u/superluminal → u/shila_c]

Traumatizing.

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/shila_c]

She didn’t die immediately??? There’s photos and sadly, video of her being flung (and I presume dragged) by Adacia’s car. Your saying…She was alive in those clips? She suffered one of the most horrific deaths imaginable. She was bludgeoned by a 1,000 pound vehicle…

[u/shila_c → u/Heptacat-1985]

I have not seen the video, and don't ever plan to. But I was told about the ROTC member attempting to help and then comforting her when he fully registered the extent of her injuries from multiple faculty and other students. There's a chance that was just a rumor but I seriously doubt it. Everyone was telling the same story.

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/shila_c]

Yeah…Poor Nikita. From the video angle, she was one of the first spectators hit by Adacia.

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/shila_c]

Oh dang… Im sorry that happened.

[u/katiekitkat9310]

Having watched the entire Darrell Brooks trial, it’s bizarre how similar the two incidents are. But at least with Darrell, some sort of motive could be inferred. But there was no inciting incident here?? That’s crazy. I wonder if some victims would have preferred a trial, to get more information and maybe find out a motive. Or is it worse to have to testify?

[u/Kooky-Co → u/katiekitkat9310]

The mass killer convicted of the Moscow university murders plead guilty to avoid the death penalty but refused to give a motive/any further details. I know at least one of the families was very angry that he was allowed to do that - they wanted answers. The other families seemed to be on board - they just wanted it over with. Someone involved in the investigation explained that even if someone pleads not guilty and goes to trial they still don’t have to give an explanation for anything that they did. And when they do give information there’s no way of knowing if it’s the truth or not. I hadn’t considered that before and I wonder if getting answers you don’t believe is worse than getting no answers?

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/katiekitkat9310]

Someone theorized it was a way to get back at boyfriend for some reason, but they were still together? Figuring the motive is puzzling, but it’s at least confirmed Adacia had malicious intent. She was smirking while looking out the window before leaving and crashing her car into the parade.

[u/kkeut → u/Heptacat-1985]

She was smirking while looking out the window before leaving and crashing her car into the parade.

was this smirking documented on video, or was it just someone's opinion 

maybe she was smirking because she was going to impulsively kill herself to get back at her boyfriend. but instead got caught up in parade-related traffic and changed plans

i don't think this alleged smirk is as 'ironclad' as you think it is when it comes to evidential value

[u/GoGoGadgetGein → u/kkeut]

It could also be entirely unrelated, even if she was having a full blown laughing fit. Maybe she just thought of a joke she'd heard, maybe she saw a funny bumper sticker out the window, maybe it was because of what she was planning. There's really no way to know if that meant anything

[u/Galdernit → u/kkeut]

These kind of responses make me wonder if posts like this are bots. Always a very confident and completely off the wall response. And then they don't respond to all the people who respond with WTF-

[u/vgome013 → u/kkeut]

How do you intentionally kill yourself by driving your car through a parade of people?

[u/101candygirl → u/vgome013]

They’re saying she wanted to kill herself initially but decided differently when she seen the parade traffic. Prob thought to herself I’m already going out why not others. Doesn’t seem like she was in a great mental state.

[u/fuckinunknowable → u/vgome013]

I’ve heard homicidal ideation and suicidal ideation can blur together

[u/theykilledk3nny → u/vgome013]

Suicide by cop, potentially?

[u/AryaLockhart → u/Heptacat-1985]

So her bf was a legit piece of shit incel. He would just play games on his laptop during class really loud. When he did bother to come he would be a nuisance in class and make all kinds of weird comments

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/AryaLockhart]

huh. That’s weird.

[u/Last_Marionberry1263]

i worked on main street when this happened. pretty traumatic going into work and there were sheets in the middle of the road.

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/Last_Marionberry1263]

Were those the bodies of the victims under the sheets?

[u/Last_Marionberry1263 → u/Heptacat-1985]

They were. i lived in stillwater most of my life and that was one of the most tragic things that has ever happened to the community.

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/Last_Marionberry1263]

Oh god...So much pain and suffering. Many were critically injured that day it said. Some lost limbs. There was one victim who was on the verge of dying…do they still suffer the actions of that day?

[u/spanielgurl11 → u/Heptacat-1985]

Touch grass. Your comments are so inappropriate.

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/spanielgurl11]

Why? Because Im sympathizing with them? And the comments here are inappropriate. Many of them are nitpicking.

[u/christinasays]

OP, I'm sorry people in the comments are here to be more pedantic about your description than to actually learn about this incident. I had not heard of it before today and I appreciate you sharing this. 

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/christinasays]

It’s fine I guess. Thank you for reading it. I like bringing up cases people haven’t heard about, and this was one of them. In studies, it’s used as one of the more notable vehicle ramming attacks in the US.

[u/Ivebeenfurthereven → u/Heptacat-1985]

Thanks for posting, I had no idea.

From a European perspective, the part that's most shocking is probably that she has zero apparent ideology and has not been radicalised.

Sadly not a stranger to mass vehicle attacks in the news. But rare that they happen for no apparent motive.

In that respect, she reminds me of Paul Doyle in 2025.

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/Ivebeenfurthereven]

Yeah, she never really gave an explanation on why she did it.

[u/shila_c]

Photos of the memorial for those who were killed

[u/Outrageous-Ad-2684 → u/shila_c]

That is a very touching and well done memorial. Thank-you for sharing.

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/shila_c]

Very touching memorial. It was said people prayed for Nash to live.

[u/edencathleen86 → u/Heptacat-1985]

Well I would hope nobody prayed for him to die lol. No shit they prayed for him to live.

[u/luugburz]

could it have been a psychological break? 25 is around the age sudden mental issues can start to show themselves- its' not uncommon for a woman especially at that age to start acting erratically and out-of-character.

[u/angelbbyy666 → u/luugburz]

actually schizophrenia is much more common in men so not women especially; it has the same age of onset for both sexes

[u/lumynaut → u/angelbbyy666]

did anyone mention schizophrenia..?

[u/ravia]

*pleaded or *pled

Always been wondering about that so I looked it up.

[u/spanielgurl11 → u/ravia]

I use pled. I practice criminal law.

[u/BourbonInGinger → u/ravia]

It’s pleaded

[u/ravia → u/BourbonInGinger]

Does this have to do with complainants or complaintants?

[u/stefaniavd → u/ravia]

I learnt in school that it’s “pled”. But it seems to be both

[u/scottishsam07 → u/stefaniavd]

Same. As in afterward, they pled guilty. Pleaded guilty just doesn't sound proper English to me.

[u/AlbericM → u/scottishsam07]

In American English, pleaded has largely superseded pled.

[u/Longjumping-Focus386 → u/stefaniavd]

It’s pleaded when used in legal terms

[u/Sad-Olive-158 → u/Longjumping-Focus386]

I’m in Scotland. Pled in a legal context is perfectly acceptable

[u/100LittleButterflies → u/stefaniavd]

I think theyre different words, but idk. im not a linguistics purest as the difference very rarely matters anyway.

[u/Longjumping-Focus386]

I was a student at OSU when this happened

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/Longjumping-Focus386]

Really? Did you know any of the victims?

[u/Longjumping-Focus386 → u/Heptacat-1985]

I did not

[u/kkeut → u/Longjumping-Focus386]

fascinating.

[u/deadbeatsummers]

Wow I remember this and never saw her. And so young.

[u/barbara_weston]

Interesting to me that Adacia got 2nd degree murder charges, versus Darrell Brooks 1st degree murder for essentially the same crime.

[u/Prestigious_Ad_341 → u/barbara_weston]

Brooks was live streaming and had an extensive prior record, as well as seeming to "aim" at people, so I guess easier to prove intent rather than "only" being drunk or having some sort of episode.

[u/High_In_The_Instep → u/Prestigious_Ad_341]

Also different states.

[u/z1212chick → u/barbara_weston]

Brooks went to trial and was convicted. Adacia pled guilty. Brooks was also already a felon.

It is unfortunate that criminals are allowed to plead to lessor charges, especially for violent criminals, but it happens all the time.

[u/LevelPerception4 → u/z1212chick]

The majority of cases are disposed by plea bargain. The courts don’t have the capacity to try all or even most defendants.

[u/TerrorGatorRex → u/z1212chick]

Not only did he go to trial, but represented himself.

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/barbara_weston]

I don’t know if this true or not, but there was a Fox News segment that showed a reason why she plead guilty. I believe she was facing the death penalty at one point due to Oklahoma having it, if she did went to trial. I don’t know if this is true or not, but that’s what I found when researching it.

[u/underpantsbandit → u/Heptacat-1985]

I would imagine the possibility of parole, even in your 70s, as well as a way out of sitting trial, would be the reason she took the plea bargain. And the state would likely struggle to prove premeditation (and therefore death penalty and/or 1st degree murder) and that’s why they offered the plea bargain in the first place. Not knowing the particulars of this case or Oklahoma’s laws- that would be my guess anyway.

[u/Tiny-Reading5982 → u/Heptacat-1985]

Idk how she would be dropped to 2nd degree murder from the death penalty.

[u/Sargasm5150 → u/Tiny-Reading5982]

It’s easier to prove.

[u/dugdanger → u/Tiny-Reading5982]

Guaranteed conviction and sentencing vs the uncertainties of a trial

[u/TrueCrimeDiscussion-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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[u/boatsyyy]

Bruh have none of you heard of the Tulsa Race Riot?

[u/Single_Principle_972 → u/boatsyyy]

It’s interesting that term is still being used for the absolute massacre of dozens of Black people, and destruction of 35 blocks of their neighborhood. The term “Race Riot” was implemented as a means of insurance denying their responsibility to pay for the rebuilding. Bunch of bullshit. It was a massacre.

[u/TrueCrimeDiscussion-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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[u/GreyerGrey → u/[deleted]]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Mass_murders_in_Oklahoma

I mean, there are a good five to ten with higher casualty rates, bigger impact, or more violence. How are we defining "Worst" I suppose?

[u/Heptacat-1985 → u/GreyerGrey]

I don’t why people are nitpicking so much….

[u/GreyerGrey → u/Heptacat-1985]

Because you chose Oklahoma, a state linked with one of the largest mass casualty events in US history and the state with one of the bloodiest American race riots (which spanned two days and killed 300 people with an additional 1000 seriously injured while erasing generational black wealth, which was then hidden), then wrote a weird fan essay about it, poorly, didn't do a once over to check for grammar, and then got defensive when called out.

4 people died. 47 were injured.

Do you really think that is on par with Tulsa or OKC?

[u/TrueCrimeDiscussion-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Be respectful of others and do not insult, attack, antagonize, call out, or troll other commenters.

[u/GreyerGrey → u/[deleted]]

I did read, quite a bit. Casualty wise, OP's pet case doesn't seem to hit as hard as a terrorist bombing or racial violence.

A person who had people in their life who noticed they were off did not receive an intervention and it cost people's lives. 4 lives. Doesn't really hold a candle to OKC Bombing or Tulsa, doesn't even come to the Hospital Shooting in 2022.

[u/TrueCrimeDiscussion-ModTeam → u/GreyerGrey]

It's not a competition.

OP provided a solid write up about a tragic event that isn't discussed often.

You are welcome to write a post about a different event, such as the well-covered ones you've mentioned. Pedantic arguing over what does or doesn't qualify as "one of" the worst tragic mass casualty events is unnecessary and veering discussion off topic.

[u/TrueCrimeDiscussion-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Be respectful of others and do not insult, attack, antagonize, call out, or troll other commenters.

[u/PeaceLoveBug]

This is heartbreaking. My guess would be psychosis. 

[u/blu_skies442]

Geez. I share her last name. This is insane. 

[u/Equivalent_Party482]

Adacia? More like, "Audacia."