In the early hours of February 2, 2021, a tragedy unfolded in a quiet Muskogee, Oklahoma home, claiming the life of three-year-old Jaidus DaRiyah Pridgeon. Jaidus, a young female, was one of six people killed in a mass shooting that morning. The horrific event left the community in shock and mourning the loss of innocent lives. The other children who lost their lives were Jaidus's siblings: one-year-old Jalaiya Omunique Pridgeon, six-year-old Nevaeh Pridgeon, five-year-old Harmony Faith
Anderson, and nine-year-old Que'dynce Anton Lamark Anderson. An adult male, Javarion Lee, aged 24, was also killed in the attack. The children's mother, Brittany Anderson, was the sole survivor of the shooting and was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Police responded to a call of multiple gunshots at the residence around 1:30 a.m. Upon arrival, they encountered a man with a firearm. After a brief foot pursuit, officers apprehended the suspect, identified as 25-year-old Jarron Deajon Pridgeon. He was the brother of Javarion Lee and had been living with the family intermittently. The motive for the devastating act has not been fully determined. Pridgeon had a prior criminal record, including a charge for assault and battery.
In the aftermath of the killings, Jarron Deajon Pridgeon was charged with six counts of first-degree murder. Initially, he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. However, on October 4, 2024, Pridgeon pleaded guilty to the murders and was sentenced to life in prison. The case sparked widespread grief and calls for support for the surviving mother, with community members and local clergy establishing funds to assist with funeral expenses and her recovery.
