A Mississippi police officer was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance in Meridian on what would have been his day off.
“He chose to come in and serve, which he was known to do regularly,” Chief Deborah Young said.
Officer Kennis Croom responded at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday to a disturbance call on 51st Avenue in Meridian. Croom was the first to arrive at the scene after shots were fired. A second officer at the scene called out that Croom was down, Young said.
Brittany Jones was deceased at the scene, and Croom was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Young said. Croom’s body was taken to the crime lab in Biloxi, where an autopsy was performed.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation issued a Blue Alert Thursday night for Dante Bender, 31. After a statewide search, Bender was captured at about 10 a.m. Friday in Ackerman in Choctaw County by members of a U.S. Marshal Service task force.
Jones was Bender’s fiancée. Authorities said Bender previously worked as a Newton police officer.
Croom was originally from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and once worked for the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, the Terry Police Department and the Jackson Police Department. Chief James Davis and JPD extended condolences to Croom’s family, friends and the Meridian Police Department.
“To the family of Officer Croom, I am praying for your strength at this time of immense sorrow. I know there are no words that can ease your pain. I will pray daily that you find solace in his memory; he will truly be missed, he is a hero forever,” Davis said in a statement. “I also want to extend condolences to the young woman who had her life taken away from her in this senseless act of violence.”
Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones worked with Croom during their time at JPD Precinct 4.
“I last spoke with Kennis in April after he sent me a message wanting to ask me a question. I can remember picking up the phone and immediately calling him, because we’d not spoken in a while and I wanted to make sure he was good and answer whatever questions he had,” Jones said in a Facebook post. “We are forever thankful and grateful for his service and we are thankful to his family for their sacrifices by sharing Kennis with various communities to serve. May God be with you all during this difficult time.”
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