Mississippi police: Officers killed armed burglary suspect

Associated Press
Updated ·1 min read
Police officers work the scene where authorities say police fatally shot a burglary suspect who was armed with a knife, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, in Meridian, Miss. (Bianca Moorman/The Meridian Star via AP)

MERIDIAN, Miss. (AP) — A burglary suspect armed with a knife was shot and killed by Mississippi police Tuesday following a chase, according to authorities.

Meridian police responded to a neighborhood after a homeowner called 911 to report a burglary in process, Mayor Percy Bland said at a news conference.

Responding officers chased the suspect and later “got into a tussle in a ditch,” Bland said, adding that an officer fired his gun in self-defense.

Police Chief Chris Read told WTOK-TV that the suspect attacked one of the officers with the knife. The officer sustained cuts to the back of his neck and was treated for a cut, according to Bland.

Three officers were placed on paid administrative leave, per department policy, Read said. He did not identify the officers.

The name of the victim was not immediately released.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation was called to review the shooting.