HERMANVILLE — A Claiborne County sheriff’s deputy was killed and a woman was injured after gunfire erupted near Hermanville around midnight, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
The FBI is offering up to a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
Deputies were attempting to disperse a crowd in the parking lot of Michael Dean’s Convenience Store when gunshots were directed toward the crowd, MBI said.
A female bystander was shot and transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
A deputy was also shot and transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Claiborne County Coroner Kieon Neal identified the deputy as Terrian Bailey. Bailey’s family was notified of his death.
The shooting prompted a significant law enforcement response in the Hermanville area, with MBI agents taking over the investigation. The scene was cleared as investigators began gathering evidence and working to determine what led to the shooting.
Sheriff Edward Goods said he’s referring media inquiries to MBI right now, but earlier yesterday he had posted to Facebook, asking the community to please act responsibly in the festivities that evening because the department was short on manpower and resources. He would not discuss that on Monday morning, but it’s known universally in law enforcement that being understaffed and under-resourced puts law enforcement officers at unnecessary risk.
MBI said its investigation is ongoing and that agents will provide their findings to the local District Attorney’s Office and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office when the investigation is complete.
