Gavin Eugene Long (Killer of 5 police in La.): 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
Baton Rouge Chief of Police Carl Dabadie speaks during a press conference at the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness on July 10, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Getty)
Gavin Eugene Long has been identified as the gunman who opened fire on police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, killing three officers and wounding three others, MSNBC reports.
Long, described as a black male from Kansas City, Missouri, was killed at the scene of the shooting, CBS News reports.
Police believe the gunman who shot and killed the officers was killed at the scene during the gun fight and no other shooters are at large. State Police Colonel Mike Edmondson said at a press conference there is no active shooter situation ongoing, but investigators are working to determine if Long had any assistance from co-conspirators.
Anyone with information or anyone who sees something suspicious is asked to contact police. The state police are leading the ongoing investigation.
Few details are known about the gunman so far and this story will be updated as more information is made available. Here’s what we know so far about him and the shooting:
1. Long Turned 29 on Sunday & Served in the Marine Corps
Little is known so far about Gavin Eugene Long. His birthday was Sunday, July 17, according to public records.
Long served in the Marine Corps, CBS News reports. He left the Marines in 2010 with an honorable discharge as a sergeant at the E-5 level.
Public records show he has lived in Kansas City and Grandview, Missouri. He has also lived in Alabama.
No ties to Louisiana have been found.
A reporter from Kansas City says she went to the address where Long lived and was met by someone armed with a gun:
Just went to the most recent listed address for the alleged#BatonRouge shooter in KC... A man answered the door with an AK-47
No one answered at a number listed for Long.
LISTEN: Police Radio Audio From Shooting of Baton Rouge Officers
Multiple police officers were shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, early Sunday morning. Listen to police radio audio from the scene here.
Click here to read more2. He Was a Former University of Alabama Student Who Was Divorced From His Wife in 2011
(Missouri Courts)
Long was divorced, according to court records. He filed for divorce from his wife in 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri court. He and his wife did not have children at the time of the divorce and it is not known if Long has any children from other relationships or if he had re-married. Long filed for divorce on February 14, 2011, and it was finalized on May 24, 2011.
He was listed as a Dean’s List student at the University of Alabama in 2012, according to the school’s website.
No criminal record for Long could be found in Missouri.
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A lone gunman shot 12 police officers, killing five, and also wounded two civilians in Dallas, Texas. See the victims' photos and read their stories here.
Click here to read more3. The Gunman, Wearing Black With His Face Covered, Began Shooting ‘Indiscriminately’ as Officers Responded
The gunman, identified as Gavin Eugene Long, was wearing black and with his face covered, began firing “indiscriminately” Sunday morning near Hammond Aire Plaza, WBRZ reports. He was also wearing body armor, police said.
No motive for the shooting has been made public.
The shooting was first reported about 8:40 a.m., according to police radio transmissions. The audio below, of the first 45 minutes of the incident, is courtesy of Broadcastify.com:
An officer said a woman reported a man walking with an assault rifle in the area of the B-Quik gas station on Airline Highway. The woman told the officer the man was wearing a coat and walking behind the store, according to the scanner audio.
Seconds later, an officer yells “Shots fired, officer down! Shots fired, officer down!”
Police said the shooter was not in sight. He was killed within minutes of officers arriving at the scene.
Airline Highway has been closed in both directions between Goodwood Boulevard and Interstate 12, WAFB-TV reports.
Police said the situation is “contained,” but are asking for people to avoid the area, WAFB-TV reports.
Video from the scene shows a heavy police presence, with SWAT officers and other law enforcement flooding the area after the shooting.
Officers could be seen carrying rifles as helicopters circled above the scene.
One of the slain officers has been identified as Baton Rouge Officer Montrell Jackson. You can read more about him at the link below:
Montrell Jackson, Officer Killed in Baton Rouge: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
Three officers, including Montrell Jackson, were killed in an ambush in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where there is tension with police after the death of Alton Sterling.
Click here to read more4. The Shooting Comes After Several Days of Protests Over the Fatal Police Shooting of Alton Sterling
Baton Rouge police rush the crowd of protesters and start making arrest on July 9, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Getty)
The shooting comes after several days of protests over the death of Alton Sterling, who was fatally shot by police on July 5. Video of the shooting recorded by a witness was shared on social media.
The investigation into that shooting is ongoing.
The large protests have led to hundreds of arrests in Baton Rouge.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards called the attack on officers on Sunday an “unspeakable and unjustified attack.”
Mayor-President Kip Holden called the shooting an “ambush” and asked for prayers for the wounded officers.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown shared a message of support on Twitter.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Baton Rouge Police. @BRPD#PrayforBatonRouge
Five officers were fatally shot in Dallas in an ambush attack earlier this month.
5. Police Arrested Multiple People They Say Had Been Plotting to Kill Officers in Baton Rouge Last Week
Baton Rouge Chief of Police Carl Dabadie speaks during a press conference at the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness on July 10, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Getty)
Baton Rouge Police announced last week that they had arrested multiple people involved in a burglary of a pawn shop tied to a threat against police officers, The Advocate reports.
Four burglars broke into a pawn shop and stole eight handguns. One suspect told police they were looking for bullets to kill officers, police said.
Police arrested four people, including a 12-year-old boy, in the case.
Just days before those arrests were announced, a gunman, Micah Xavier Johnson, opened fire on police in Dallas, Texas, killing five police officers and wounding nine others, along with two civilians. Johnson was killed during a standoff with police. He told negotiators he was upset about recent police shootings and was targeting officers.
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