‘They took so much from us’ – A Quincy family grieves the loss of Michael Long who was gunned down in Tallahassee last month.

It’s been almost a month since 32-year-old Michael Long was murdered in Tallahassee.

A Quincy family is now left picking up the pieces, and looking for answers.

Shortly after 11 p.m. on Saturday, February 11, Long was lured outside of his Tallahassee apartment where he was gunned down.

Tallahassee Police Department later revealed a chase happened after the shooting. The suspects fled in a vehicle, resulting in a crash about 3 miles away from the scene of the crime.

“He was very quiet, mostly kept to himself,” Long’s aunt LaKeshia Kirkland recalled.

Kirkland said Long, a father of three, came from a very close-knit family, and was always family-oriented.

“He was always spending time with his kids, taking them on trips, letting them experience places like Disney World.”

Kirkland chuckled as she recalled what Long was like as a child.

She said she and her sister, Long’s mother, raised their children together.

While Long was his mother’s only biological child, Kirkland had 5 boys. She said all of the children were close in age.

“He always thought he had all the sense,” Kirkland said, her smile audible in her voice. “He was very curious and always asked a lot of questions.”

Kirkland said Long’s death has affected their family tremendously.

“It has us in fear,” Kirkland shared. “We’ve been sticking close together.”

Kirkland said she feels like she is constantly looking over her shoulders.

“They took so much from us,” Kirkland said.

She said one thing she wants people to know about Long is how much of a great father he was.

She is now trying to help fill the void left in his children’s lives. He used to pick his six-year-old son up from school.

“Today he said, ‘My daddy picks me up from school everyday, and we go get food,’” Kirkland shared.

Kirkland said she thinks the children understand their father is gone, and talking about him everyday is their way of keeping his memory alive.

“I think that’s his way of grieving,” Kirkland said of six-year-old Michael, Jr.

Kirkland said it’s her faith that is helping her through the grieving process.

“God is granting me the strength in keeping my family together,” Kirkland said. “My sister has her moments. She’s ok one minute, and not the next.”

Vivian Murphy shared two children with Long, including Michael, Jr. She said he also helped raise her oldest son from a previous relation from 10 months old, treating him like his own.

“I’m still in denial,” Murphy said. “I’m just trying to think of it as us taking a break. It’s still hard to accept.”

The two met at East Gadsden High School but didn’t begin dating until a couple years after graduating.

“He was cool, laid back…a ladies man,” Murphy said. “He was a great person, and a phenomenal father.”

Murphy said Long, who mostly kept to himself, always provided for and protected his family. She also said he was a giving, loving person.

“Mike was very helpful; he always tried his best to help people.” Murphy said. “He always used to show that he appreciated us.”

Murphy said he would often surprise her and the children with gifts.

She said she is handling the grief the best way she can.

“I’m hoping and praying for answers,” Murphy said. “We don’t know why this happened. We don’t know where to go from here. We don’t know who did it or why.”

Murphy said she doesn’t want to live in fear.

“”I just try not to think about it as much,” Murphy said. “Life goes on. You have to keep living and try not to be so fearful.”

Long’s murder still remains an open and active investigation.

His loved ones are pleading for an end to gun violence, so other families won’t experience what her family has.

“Please put the guns down,” Kirkland said. “All of the families lose at the end of the day, the shooter’s and the victim’s. It’s a loss for everybody.”

Police said no arrests had been made and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Detectives are asking anyone with information related to the incident to call (850) 891-4200 or remain anonymous by calling Crime Solvers at (850) 574-TIPS.

Erin Hill - Gadsden County News Service

‘They took so much from us’ – A Quincy family grieves the loss of Michael Long who was gunned down in Tallahassee last month.

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‘They took so much from us’ – A Quincy family grieves the loss of Michael Long who was gunned down in Tallahassee last month.

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Women making history – Angela Sutton is the only African-American currently serving as a vice president at Tulane University – The Gadsden County Times will spotlight women making history for the entire month of March

The Gadsden County Times – Legals – 3/14

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