Family Mourning Loss Of Loved One Found Shot To Death In Reported Attack At NW OKC Apartment

A family is mourning the loss of a loved one killed in a shooting. 

Oklahoma City police said Phillip Gates and his girlfriend were attacked at an apartment complex Sunday morning.

The victims' families told News 9 Gates' girlfriend fought for her life to run for help. When police arrived, they found 22-year-old Gates dead.

"It, it's shocking. It still doesn't feel real, you know. It doesn't even feel real talking about it," said Gates' cousin, Jerrica Johnson.

Johnson found out her cousin was shot and killed Sunday after getting a phone call from a relative.

"[She] asked me if I knew he [Gates] was OK. And I was like yeah, why wouldn't he be and she's like well people are saying he got shot," explained Johnson.

She immediately called Gates but her calls went unanswered.

"I broke down. When I pulled up and seen the crime scene unit, you know. I knew." Johnson said. "We would never expect anything like that to happen to him. Especially in his own home."

Gates' girlfriend, Myesha Alexander told family the intruder violently attacked her and kicked her in the face. She escaped wearing just underwear. A good Samaritan picked her up and took her to a nearby 7-Eleven, where she was able to call police.

"Right now it's unclear what motivated this attack. They believe that it possibly stemmed off of a home invasion of some sort," said OCPD Sgt. Dillon Quirk.

Johnson said her cousin would do anything for his family, and his two young children.

"I really don't know who would do something like that to him, considering me knowing him my whole life, he's never been that type of pf person to get into it with people," Johnson said. “He's still my big cousin, he'll give me rides. He was, that was my guy right there."

Anyone with information should call the OCPD Homicide Tip Line 405-297-1200.