In the early hours of February 2, 2021, the life of one-year-old Jalaiya Omunique Pridgeon, a female, was tragically cut short in a devastating mass shooting inside a Muskogee, Oklahoma, home. The horrific event claimed the lives of five other individuals, including four other children and one adult. The other victims were identified as Javarion Lee, 24, and children Jaidus Pridgeon, 3, Harmony Anderson, 5, Neveah Pridgeon, 6, and Que'dynce Anderson, 9.
The children's mother, Brittany Anderson, was also shot but survived her injuries.
Responding to a 911 call reporting gunshots at the residence, Muskogee police encountered a man holding a gun. The armed individual, later identified as 25-year-old Jarron Dejon Pridgeon, fled the scene on foot. An officer fired at Pridgeon but missed, and after a brief chase, he was taken into custody. Investigators later determined that the 911 call was made by Pridgeon himself. It was revealed that all the victims and the suspect lived in the same home. Pridgeon was the brother of Javarion Lee and the father of three of the children who were killed.
Jarron Dejon Pridgeon was charged with six counts of first-degree murder, one count of shooting with intent to kill, and possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. Initially, the prosecution sought the death penalty. In October 2024, Pridgeon pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to life in prison. Prior to the shooting, Pridgeon had a criminal history that included a deferred sentence for assault and battery in 2019, for which a judge had ordered a mental health evaluation.
