On September 10, 2017, Rion Christopher Morgan, a 31-year-old African American male from Plano, Texas, was among eight individuals tragically killed in a mass shooting at a Dallas Cowboys watch party. The gathering was hosted by 27-year-old Meredith Hight at her residence on West Spring Creek Parkway. The assailant, 32-year-old Spencer James Hight—Meredith’s estranged husband—entered the home around 8 p.m.
and opened fire, killing eight people and injuring a ninth before being fatally shot by responding police officers.
Rion Christopher Morgan was a well-regarded member of the University of Texas at Dallas community. He graduated in 2008 with a degree in Business Administration and later served as a manager in UTD’s Office of Information Technology. Known for his charisma and enthusiasm, Rion was remembered by colleagues and friends as a generous mentor and a vibrant presence on campus.
The shooting was the deadliest in Plano’s history. The victims, all adults in their twenties and thirties, included several of Spencer and Meredith Hight’s close friends. Notably, Rion Morgan had been a groomsman in the couple’s 2011 wedding, and another victim, James Dunlop, had served as Spencer’s best man. The attack occurred just one day after what would have been the couple’s sixth wedding anniversary.
Prior to the shooting, Spencer Hight had been at the Local Public House, a bar near the crime scene, where he was served alcohol despite displaying signs of intoxication and possessing a knife. Bartender Lindsey Glass, 27, was later arrested and charged with violating Texas law by serving alcohol to an intoxicated person. Although she called 911 after following Hight to his ex-wife’s home, her actions were scrutinized in the aftermath. In October 2019, a grand jury declined to indict her.
The sole survivor of the shooting, Carly Shockey, was shot in the jaw and underwent extensive medical treatment. In 2021, she was awarded $85 million in a lawsuit against the bar that served Hight, highlighting the broader implications of the tragedy and the responsibilities of establishments serving alcohol.
Rion Christopher Morgan’s death was a profound loss to his community, leaving behind a legacy of kindness, mentorship, and dedication to his work and peers. His memory continues to be honored by those who knew him.
