The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is currently looking into a shooting incident that involves deputies from the Desoto County Sheriff’s Department.
There was initial confusion as MBI initially mentioned the Southaven Police Department’s involvement, but this statement was later corrected.
According to family members, the deceased individual has been identified as Demarcus Williams, 32.
The family has expressed their frustration over the lack of information provided and the waiting time for answers. The incident was reported to MBI at 6:40 a.m. on Wednesday and occurred at a residence on Clark Avenue.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation reports that members of the Desoto County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team were in the process of executing an arrest warrant when Demarcus Williams allegedly aimed a weapon in the direction of the deputies.
In response, Williams was shot and unfortunately succumbed to his injuries, while the deputies remained unharmed. Inside the residence, Williams’ wife and three daughters were present.
According to his wife, law enforcement officers broke the windows and deployed smoke devices within the house. The family asserts that Williams believed his home was being invaded, prompting him to take defensive actions.
“He didn’t have a gun pointed at them,” a family member insisted. “He reached for his firearm because he heard the sound of shattered glass in his house at 5 in the morning, just like any American would, and he was shot in the back for trying to protect his home as a Black individual.
The family highlights that Williams had successfully turned his life around by establishing a car business and was thriving.
They emphasize that the intention behind the incident was clear: to execute and kill.
The family believes that if the person involved had been white, Asian American, or of any other ethnicity apart from African descent, the situation wouldn’t have resulted in a 5 to 6-hour standoff. Currently, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is actively conducting an inquiry into the shooting, gathering evidence.
Upon completion, the findings will be handed over to the Attorney General’s Office.”
32-year-old Demarcus Williams shot and killed by DeSoto County deputies