As Baton Rouge police officers went about their normal routines on Sunday morning, they didn’t know that a trained killer was stalking them.
Long, who turned 29 that day, arrived in Baton Rouge six days earlier. While his activities in the days prior to the shootings are unknown, police believe he tailed officers to familiarize himself with their hangouts.
Just before 9 a.m. Sunday, Long spotted a police car parked outside a convenience store.
Long, dressed head-to-toe in black, carried a
IWR Tavor SAR 5.56 rifle (for deadly accuracy at close range) and a 9mm pistol. A M4 assault rifle was staged in his car.
He parked near the convenience store and approached the police vehicle with his weapon aimed and ready. But the vehicle was empty.