RJ Long Jr., A 20-year-old student at Rose State College, was tragically shot and lost his life on Monday afternoon, causing indescribable anguish for his loved ones.
4 News reported that Long, who was expecting one or two people to join him, showed them up at a park in Harrah, his hometown.
Instead, a multitude of people showed up. Every individual had a unique narrative to share.
When Kelly, Long’s mother, was told by KFOR that an active shooter was on her son’s campus, she wasn’t hopeful.
“Kelly took to her Facebook to share the news. A tragic incident occurred at Rose State, involving one casualty and three gunshots fired in the vicinity where my son Rj was present. The latest update suggests that Rj was last seen in the humanity building.”
Two hours later, Kelly discovered that it was her son who lost his life in the shooting.
“Rj was the one who got shot [and] killed while heroically protecting a woman in class from her abusive husband,” Kelly added.
She informed KFOR that she discovered on Monday afternoon when two officers from the Midwest City Police came to her residence.
“Is RJ deceased? Is he deceased?,” She remembers asking them.
After officials confirmed to her that Long had died, she recalls crying uncontrollably for the next few minutes.
Shortly after Kelly received the heart-wrenching news, everyone else did as well.
Mykell, Long’s sister, expressed, “I never expected it to be him out of all people. I received a call from my husband and he told me that it was my brother.”
A friend of Long’s, Jacob Claxton, mentioned that his mother phoned him and informed him that “RJ is deceased.”
“I simply crumbled to the ground,” Claxton declared.
The unimaginable was now the reality of this community.
Court records indicate that the assailant, Brandon Morrissette, aged 30, was promptly captured after the murder of Long.
“I give up. I give up,” court records disclose Morrissette informed authorities on Rose State College’s campus Monday afternoon.
As per a sworn statement, Morrissette had doubts that his spouse and Long were involved in a romantic affair. Nevertheless, Morrissette’s spouse notified the authorities that this allegation was baseless.
While leaving class at 12:15 p.M. On Monday, Morrissette supposedly confronted the duo as she and Long were walking.
She was so shocked to see him in the truck, but typically Morrissette picks up his wife from school.
Records indicate that Morrissette’s spouse additionally expressed concerns about his propensity towards anger. She concluded by informing me that Morrissette exhibits a high level of control and constantly monitors her actions.
Midwest City Police say as the confrontation took a wrong turn. Morissette gunned down Long with a 9mm pistol and killed him.
Long’s family told KFOR he died a hero, but they don’t want his life to be summed up into a school shooting.
Mykell explained, “No matter what you could think, it always matters how we were. That’s exactly like my brother, when I found out what actually happened, that’s what he was doing, right.”
Kelly stated that Long, in his most recent decision, discovered his ardor lied in assisting others through physical activity.
He was both pursuing a degree in Christian apologetics, which defends Christianity, and serving in the Marine Reserve Corps.
Many also described Long as a visionary and someone who lived his life guided by his beliefs.
News 4 asked a few of Long’s acquaintances to depict him using three words.
Funny, vibrant, and loyal were thrown around.
Many stated that summarizing who Long was in just three words was difficult.
“The affection that he displayed was a love that was compassionate but also straightforward,” stated Claxton.
Kelly mentioned that Long was a person who didn’t talk much, but he was extremely truthful when he did communicate.
Mykell informed KFOR that Long had the ability to brighten up any room he entered.
Long, a friend said, was always ready to guide and assist others in making decisions and navigating through different options. She was determined to serve her country and considered various alternatives to figure out how best to fulfill her desire.
Mykell’s spouse, Quinton Simmons remembered that Long was an exceptional arm wrestler and someone he could rely on.
Long used to work at Braum’s in Harrah, where his manager, Amber Hill, remembers him cracking almost every joke as “silly”.
In the News 4 interview with Hill, she brought out a tiny American flag.
Hill clarified that whenever Braum’s employees would depart to serve their country, she would request them to autograph the flag.
“[Long] was very enthusiastic to sign it,” she declared.
Kelly, who received the flag as a gift from Hill, was informed by him, “No mother should ever have to experience the pain of losing a child and you know, I’m here to support you.”
News 4 heard narratives about Long for almost an hour and each and every one of them was equally moving.
Regrettably, News 4 was unable to hear everyone’s story, but the multitude of individuals who attended spoke volumes.
We inquired each individual who was interviewed about what they would say to Long, if given the opportunity.
“We long for your presence” and “We all have a deep affection for him” reverberated within the group.
To accomplish this, it enables him to be aware that he is in paradise, but Haley Bryan’s friend, One Long, explained how difficult life would be without him by his side.
The family also conveyed their appreciation to the Harrah/McLoud community for the love and support they have received in the previous 24 hours.
The family will be hosting a candlelit vigil on Friday, April 28th at 9 p.M.
The memorial gathering will take place at the Braum’s located in Harrah. The specific address is 3100 S Harrah Rd.
Hill mentioned that the vigil is available to friends, relatives, and anyone who wishes to show their admiration for Long.
The family has also established a GoFundMe campaign to cover the costs of Long’s funeral.