Los Angeles

2 Mississippi Officers Shot To Death; Wounded Suspect In Custody

/ KCAL News

BROOKHAVEN, Miss. (CBSLA/CBS News) — Two police officers were shot and killed following an early morning confrontation in Brookhaven, Mississippi.

The suspect, 25-year-old Marquis Flowers, was injured during an exchange of gunfire with police and transported to a local hospital for treatment.

The officers responded to calls of shots fired at 5 a.m. Saturday. When they arrived at 630 North 6th Street, there was an exchange of gunfire, authorities said. The officers were wounded and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Officials said it is unclear why the shooting broke out.

The officers were identified as 35-year-old James White and 31-year-old Zack Moak.

A reporter with CBS-affiliate station WJTV tweeted photos of the slain officers.

"These were two awesome people who lost their lives in the line of duty and they're both heroes," Police Chief Kenneth Collins said in a news conference Saturday morning.

"This is what law enforcement does. They lay their lives on the line every day for you and me so we don't have to," Warren Strain of the Department of Public Safety said.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is working the case, in addition to other agencies, the Associated Press reports.

Gov. Phil Bryant tweeted a statement asking the public to pray "for the family and loved ones of these fallen heroes."

The suspect's condition is not yet known.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

© 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.