Man Fatally Shoots Woman And A Cop, Who Served With 'Bravery And Selflessness'

Meridian, Mississippi -- A Meridian police officer was fatally shot in the line of duty, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) said.

The police are currently on the lookout for the suspect who gunned down the officer as well as an unidentified woman Thursday.

Officer Kennis Croom was responding to a domestic violence call on 51st Avenue in Meridian when he was shot, said Lauderdale County Coroner Clayton Cobler. A call about an “officer down” was heard on police radios at around 5:30 p.m.

Both Croom and the female victim were found dead at the scene.

Cobler said the deceased officer’s body was sent to the State Crime Lab for an autopsy, according to the Meridian Star.

Rankin County Sheriff’s Office is assisting in the search to nab the suspect.

“Every time an officer is killed, regardless of if you knew them well or not, it’s a tragedy the same as losing a family member,” Sheriff Bryan Bailey said, according to WLBT. “Our heart is broken for his family and the Meridian Police Department.”

The suspected shooter was identified as Dante Marquez Bender, 31. He is on the run and believed to be driving a 2004 Black Nissan Armada with a tag reading “IMANI.”

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, which is handling the investigation, said the suspect “was last seen at 2408 51st Avenue in Meridian, MS, on June 9, 2022, at approximately 5:36 p.m.”

“Please take immediate precautions and notify 911 if you see Dante Marquez Bender or observe any suspicious activity. Dante Marquez Bender is described as black male 31 years of age, five feet eleven inches tall, weighing 299 pounds, with brown eyes and short black hair,” the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said.

Bender was last seen wearing a purple sweatshirt and purple sweatpants. He may be armed and dangerous.

Investigators urged the public to come forward with any information that could lead to Bender’s arrest. To pass on information, one can call 911 or East Mississippi Crime Stoppers at 1-855-485-8477. One can also call 1-855-642-5378 or send an email to MBITIPS@dps.ms.gov.

Officer Croom, a Tuscaloosa native, had worked as a law enforcement officer since 2013 and served with multiple departments in Alabama and Mississippi, the Tuscaloosa Thread reported.

“Kennis Croom was a friend and a good officer,” Gluckstadt Police Chief Wendell Watts told WDAM 7. “Today sucks.”

The Tuscaloosa Police Department said they are "devastated" and wrote: "Officer Croom served his community with bravery and selflessness. His sacrifice will not be forgotten."