Sheriff: Simpson County standoff ends with 2 dead teen in custody, no second suspect

LATER. SIX A WAPT BEGINS WITH BREAKING NEWS. >> WE DO COME ON THE AIR WITH BREAKING NEWS RIGHT NOW, AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION UNFOLDING IN SIMPSON COUNTY WITH THE DEPUTY SHOT. THE SITUATION HAS NOW TURNED INTO A STANDOFF ON W L BLAIR CIRCLE, JUST WEST OF HIGHWAY 1316. WAPT’S NICHOLAS BROOKS IS LIVE ON THE SCENE RIGHT NOW. WITH WHAT MORE WE’RE LEARNING TONIGHT, NICHOLAS, WHAT DO WE KNOW SO FAR? >> THAT’S RIGHT. NOW, WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR. SO THE SIMPSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THAT AN OFFICER IS STANDING RIGHT NOW SOME GUNFIRE. NOW, THEY SAID THAT THIS STARTED AS A WELFARE CONCERN. THEY WENT TO A HOUSE. ONE PERSON WAS INSIDE AS A DEPUTY APPROACHED AT HOME. THE DOOR WAS OPEN AND THEN HE JUST RECEIVED GUNFIRE. NOW, ACCORDING TO THE SIMPSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, THAT OFFICER IS NOT IN HURT RIGHT NOW IS OKAY. BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE RANKIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS ALSO. SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS ALSO HERE AND HAVE BEEN EVACUATED. CIVILIANS NEAR THIS SCENE. NOW, IF WE CAN POSSIBLY GET THE SHOT RIGHT BACK ON ME REAL QUICK, WE’RE GOING TO SHOW YOU JUST ONE OF THE STAGING AREAS. NOW, FIRST OF ALL, THERE’S SEVERAL STAGING AREAS. BY THE WAY, THIS ONE HERE IS ONE LITTLE SMALL ONE HERE ON BILL SMITH ROAD. BUT WE JUST CAME FROM BEFORE GOING LIVE ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES AGO ON HOLYFIELD ROAD. THERE IS THE MAIN STAGING AREA THAT WE SAW THAT WE WERE TOLD AS WELL THERE. YOU’RE GOING TO SEE SIMPSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. HIGHWAY PATROL TROOPERS ARE THERE, AS WELL AS THE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS THERE. WE SEE A HELICOPTER THAT WAS THERE AS WELL, DRONES IN THE AIR, AND WAS ALSO TOLD BY NEIGHBORS THAT THAT WAS IN THE AREA THAT WE SPOKE WITH, BY THE WAY, SAID THAT THERE WERE 50 TO 100 POLICE OFFICERS IN THAT AREA, AND WE CAN TESTIFY A LITTLE BIT OF THAT. WE WENT THERE TO THE HOLYFIELD ROAD TO GET THE CAMERA BACK ON ME. WE SAW A FLOOD OF FLASHING RED AND BLUE LIGHTS AND OFFICERS IN THAT AREA NAVIGATING TRAFFIC, GETTING PEOPLE AWAY. LIKE I SAID, KING COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS EVACUATING CIVILIANS IN THAT AREA AFTER THIS LIVE. GET CLOSE AS POSSIBLE. AS YOU CAN SEE ON MY RIGHT, MORE UNDERCOVER DETECTIVES ARE COMING IN THIS WAY HERE FROM THE BILL SMITH ROAD. LIKE I SAID, TO GET CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO GIVE YOU GUYS A BETTER LOOK AT WHAT’S GOING ON. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS STILL ACTIVE STANDOFF GOING ON AS OF RIGHT NOW. THAT’S RIGHT. NOW THAT WE DO HAVE WE’LL KEEP YOU GUYS UP TO DATE ON AIR ONLINE AND JUST ABOUT EVERY HOUR IN THE SHOW REPORTING LIVE IN SIMPSON COUNTY. NICHOLAS BROOKS, 16 WAPT NEWS. >> NICHOLAS, THANK YOU. AND 16 WAPT WAS THE FIRST TO BRING YOU THIS BREAKING NEWS ON AIR AND ON THE 16 WAPT MOBILE APP. IF YOU DOWNLOAD THAT APP AND TU

Sheriff: Simpson County standoff ends with 2 dead teen in custody, no second suspect

Man said he would surrender, ran out the back during standoff

Updated: 6:55 PM CDT Jun 3, 2026

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Two people were found dead and a 17-year-old was taken into custody after an hourslong standoff in Simpson County that began when a deputy was shot while responding to a welfare check, according to Simpson County Sheriff Paul Mullins.The incident began shortly before 12:30 p.m. Wednesday when deputies responded to a home on W.L. Blair Road near Mendenhall after relatives reported they had been unable to contact the homeowners.Mullins said a 17-year-old Black male opened fire on deputies from inside the residence, striking one deputy. The deputy was treated for his injuries and released.The shooting sparked a large law enforcement response involving the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi Highway Patrol, SWAT teams and several other agencies.During the standoff, authorities initially believed there may have been a second suspect inside the home. Rankin County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Tyler Burnell told reporters that information gathered during negotiations indicated two people could be inside.However, Mullins said investigators later determined there was only one suspect.Mullins said the sole suspect said there was a second person to “heat off of him.”The teen was eventually taken into custody, ending the standoff. No charges had been announced as of Wednesday night.Mullins also confirmed two people were found dead at the home. Authorities have not released their identities or said how they died.

SIMPSON COUNTY, Miss. —

Two people were found dead and a 17-year-old was taken into custody after an hourslong standoff in Simpson County that began when a deputy was shot while responding to a welfare check, according to Simpson County Sheriff Paul Mullins.

The incident began shortly before 12:30 p.m. Wednesday when deputies responded to a home on W.L. Blair Road near Mendenhall after relatives reported they had been unable to contact the homeowners.

Mullins said a 17-year-old Black male opened fire on deputies from inside the residence, striking one deputy. The deputy was treated for his injuries and released.

The shooting sparked a large law enforcement response involving the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi Highway Patrol, SWAT teams and several other agencies.

During the standoff, authorities initially believed there may have been a second suspect inside the home. Rankin County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Tyler Burnell told reporters that information gathered during negotiations indicated two people could be inside.

However, Mullins said investigators later determined there was only one suspect.

Mullins said the sole suspect said there was a second person to “heat off of him.”

The teen was eventually taken into custody, ending the standoff. No charges had been announced as of Wednesday night.

Mullins also confirmed two people were found dead at the home. Authorities have not released their identities or said how they died.