One arrested following stand off near Kildare School

KILDARE — Kay County deputies responded at 2:53 p.m. today to the area of 11th Street and Church Street in Kildare for a report of a subject armed with knife making threats of violence against occupants of a residence.

Sheriff Steve Kelley said that law enforcement attempted to negotiate with the suspect for nearly three hours before using less than lethal force to bring the stand off to an end.

The suspect identified, as 22-year-old Matthew Dale Compala, was arrested and no injuries were reported.

Kelley said that the Kildare School day was ending when the call came in and that deputies assisted with getting the students and teachers away from the area and home.

Compala’s arrest record includes assault and battery on police, drug charges and threaten to perform acts of violence filed in 2025. On June 30, 2026 he was charged with a misdemeanor count of domestic abuse assault and battery.

Kelley said additional charges are expected to be filed.

Agencies assisting deputies today were the Eighth District District Attorney’s Task Force, Newkirk police, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Ponca City police, Otoe Missouri and Ponca City Fire.