Rose State College Student Shot to Death on Campus
The suspect confronted his wife and the 20-year-old victim, who were both students at Rose State, as they were leaving a campus building.
Booking photo of suspect Brandon Morrissette.
MIDWEST CITY, Okla. — A 20-year-old Rose State College student was shot and killed on campus Monday in what police are describing as a domestic situation.
Authorities say the suspect confronted his wife — who is also a student at the school — and the male victim, identified as Robenie “RJ” Long Jr., as they were leaving the school’s Humanities and Administration building, reports CNN. The suspect, 30-year-old Brandon Morrissette, fired several shots at the victim.
Student Kevin McCormack said he was meeting a friend on campus when he heard gunfire. He looked over and saw a man fall to the ground and a woman trying to calm down a man holding a gun. Midwest City Police Chief Sid Porter said officers who were assigned to patrol the campus arrived on the scene within a minute. When approached by officers, Morrissette “got down on his knees, raised his hands, and stated he surrendered,” according to a news release from police. Long was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident was first reported as an active shooter situation and the school was placed on lockdown. Tactical teams from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office went to the campus to confirm there were no other threats.
Porter praised students and staff for their response to the shooting and noted the campus had conducted an active shooter drill just weeks prior, according to KXII.
“Things got locked down real quick,” Porter said. “I just think they did a fantastic job listening to the school and everybody staying down and not panicking because we didn’t know what was going on.”
People on campus were asked to leave after the lockdown was lifted. The school, a two-year college with around 13,000 students, remained closed Tuesday.
Morrissette is being held at the Midwest City jail and is facing a first-degree murder charge.
If you appreciated this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!
About the Author
Amy Rock, Executive Editor
Amy is Campus Safety’s Executive Editor. Prior to joining the editorial team in 2017, she worked in both events and digital marketing.
Amy has many close relatives and friends who are teachers, motivating her to learn and share as much as she can about campus security. She has a minor in education and has worked with children in several capacities, further deepening her passion for keeping students safe.
Related Content
Leading in Turbulent Times: Effective Campus Public Safety Leadership for the 21st Century
This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, “helicopter” parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. Register today to attend this free webcast!
