HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — Two Mississippi police officers were shot to death during an evening traffic stop turned violent, a state law enforcement spokesman said Sunday. Three suspects were in custody, including two who are charged with capital murder.
The deaths of the officers — the first to hit Hattiesburg in three decades — were felt far and wide in this small southern Mississippi city. Gov. Phil Bryant released a statement saying he was “mourning” the loss of the officers.
“This should remind us to thank all law enforcement for their unwavering service to protect and serve. May God keep them all in the hollow of his hand,” Bryant said. Warren Strain, a spokesman for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, said Marvin Banks, 29, and Joanie Calloway, 22, were each charged with two counts of capital murder. Banks was also charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and with grand theft for fleeing in the police cruiser after the shooting, Strain said.
“He absconded with a Hattiesburg police cruiser. He didn’t get very far, three or four blocks and then he ditched that vehicle,” Strain said. Banks’ 26-year-old brother, Curtis Banks, was charged with two counts of accessory after the fact of capital murder.
The three Hattiesburg residents were arrested without incident at different locations overnight following the shooting, Strain said. They were expected to face initial court appearances Monday. The three were being held at undisclosed jails in the state and could not be reached for comment. It was not immediately known if they had lawyers.
Strain said both officers died of their wounds at a hospital. Lt. Jon Traxler, a Hattiesburg Police Department spokesman, identified the officers who died as 34-year-old Benjamin Deen, 34, and Liquori Tate, 25. Local reports identified Deen as a past department “Officer of the Year,” and Tate was a newcomer to the force who Strain said was a 2014 graduate of the law enforcement academy.
The preliminary investigation indicated that Deen had pulled over the vehicle on suspicion of speeding and then called for backup, which is when Liquori arrived. Strain said it was too early to say who shot the officers or how many shots were fired.
For many in this small community of Hattiesburg the first death of an officer in the line of duty in three decades was a shock. The pain hit particularly close to home for Erica Sherrill Owens. Her mother — Sgt. Jackie Dole Sherrill — was killed in the line of duty in 1984 while trying to serve a warrant on a suspect.
When she heard the news of the two officers, Sherrill Owens said, her first thought was that she hoped it was someone she didn’t know. “I know that sounds so selfish because you don’t want to hear of any police officer losing their lives. Then when I heard one of the names, my heart just sank because I went to high school with him.”
She was referring to Deen, who had graduated from Sumrall High School in 1998, one year ahead of Sherrill Owens. “We were great friends in high school. He married his high school sweetheart and he’s got two kids and a great family,” she said. “It’s just heartbreaking.”
Tate grew up in a tough part of Starkville, 150 miles north of Hattiesburg, and decided to become a police officer so he could make a difference in the black community, said Jarvis Thompson, who knew him from childhood in church.
“He wanted to become an officer because we’ve seen so much of our peers get killed or end up in jail,” said Thompson, 24, of Starkville. “He was talking all the time about how he wanted to do better and make the place better.”
At a news conference, Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree asked the community to pull together and support the families of the fallen officers. “We want to ask everybody to pray for these families. We want everybody to pray for police officers not only here but around the United States,” DuPree said.
Tony Mozingo, a local judge, left red roses near the scene of the shooting. “We all just are heartbroken because we know and work with these officers every day,” said Mozingo, who was accompanied by his wife and two daughters. Deen was a “consummate law enforcement professional.”
The state’s chief law enforcement agency, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, has taken up the investigation. Hattiesburg resident Tamika Mills was quoted by The Clarion-Ledger as saying some bystanders came upon the officers on the ground, and that one of the officers asked “… ‘Am I dying? I know I’m dying. Just hand me my walkie-talkie,'” Mills told the paper.
She added, according to the account, that seeing the officers down was “shocking and heartbreaking.”
Outstanding! Best story of the day!
It’s Mother’s day…. I don’t imagine the Mothers of these to Upstanding Police Officers are too happy.
Sad, My thoughts are with them and their families.
Upstanding? SERIOUSLY???
Don’t get out much, do you?
Hope those scumbags burn in hell.
Think you may have taken a wrong turn somewhere.
Officer Tate was 25. Hadn’t even been on the force a full year. He was so proud of that accomplishment. You know, to ‘serve and protect’.
Deen, 34, was a K-9 officer. He was named HPD Officer of the Year in 2012.
If you’re caught speeding, you’re breaking the law. Are you justifying breaking the law?
You’re an idiot if you think the pigs are your friends or that they’re there to ‘protect ans serve YOUR stupid @ss. They are ONLY there to protect the CORPORATE interests, so unless you’re the CEO of a major corporation, IT AIN’T YOU THEY’RE ‘PROTECTING’!!!
Here’s a little something for you to digest, if you can quit sniveling about the ‘poor’ f’n PIGS long enough…
http://www.fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/police-have-officially-killed-400-people-in-2015-a-new-grieving-family-every-seven-and-a-half-hours/131784
Now, CRY ME A RIVER!!!
I’m not justifying cops ‘assassinating’ anyone. You’re deflecting from THIS article.
What you’re doing here is justifying murder by criminals. What your post tells me is you’ve had a negative run in from the law in your past. Possibly even have a rap sheet….
Ignorance is not an excuse to break the law.
Get a little education Hatr.
“If you’re caught speeding, you’re breaking the law. Are you justifying breaking the law?”
Murder is ‘breaking the law’. They do it on a DAILY basis. Are you justifying that, or is there a double standard… they can murder with impunity, not even be charged, and are usually rehired, if not by the same department, then another. Killer pigs are in high demand these days.
I guess what I REALLY want to know is… ARE YOU REALLY THAT STUPID???
Again, deflecting from this article.
It appears you’re siding with criminal behavior here.
In a nutshell: there was a time when I thought it was bordering on killing someone “saintly” when a cop got shot.
NOW…because of THEIR OWN ACTIONS of killing 4 of us per day, I now think completely different of a cop getting shot: I frankly don’t care as I once did when a cop gets shot.
AND IT’S THEIR OWN FAULT that public opinion has changed against them.
In fact, in my own family, about a year ago when Eric Frein (around here) shot 2 cops, I said to members of my family, GUESS WHAT? I DON’T CARE. And they were AGHAST that I said that.
A year later? They are now FULLY on my side with what I stated above.
Again: it’s their own fault.
Here’s a good idea: STOP KILLING 4 OF US PER DAY, STOP BEATING & TAZING & JAILING PROTESTERS, and on and on and on.
Big Dan, I’m not so ignorant to the fact that there are dirty/bad cops out there, but please furnish the % of them vs all the LEOs in this country?
I get emotional too, but I TRY to have a little rational thought process.
Tuskette,
LEOs? Law Enforcement Officers, unauthorized by we the people in whom all power and authority is inherent. We may elect constables and sheriffs as “peace officers”. Note, we never authorized any government to create policies to control our private lives or policing agencies of any sort to enforce government dictates over our lives.
When this war goes hotter, I guess we will have to feel bad for anyone wearing the enemy’s uniform who gets killed on Mother’s Day.
These LEOs are a running violation of the people’s Bill of Rights and they knowingly perpetrate acts upon us that we do not have the authority to perpetrate upon one another, hence they have no such authority, as the only authority they could have would have to come from us and we have no such authority to give.
Now, explain why you support those who have openly declared themselves our enemy in forming into unconstitutional collectives known as policing forces. Or did Patrick Henry indeed say, “Govern me or give me death”?
Mr. Shivley:
First and foremost, I mean no disrespect on this site. I think my posts prove that.
Second: ‘Note, we never authorized any government to create policies to control our private lives or policing agencies of any sort to enforce government dictates over our lives.’
I am in 100% agreement here. I agree 100% that we live under a Police State now in this country and I attribute it all to the Patriot Act. How do we remedy this? G W Bush enacted the PA.. President Obama had an opportunity to let it expire, he did not. So, whose fault is it that our local LEOs MUST abide by the Policies of our government? Further,
Who is responsible for the safety of the citizens in our cities/communities in reference to criminal behavior?
Again, I mean no disrespect. Just trying to be reasonable.
Before the Patriot Act there were already millions of infringements upon our Bill of Rights and there were, by God, already unconstitutional policing agencies, FBI, CIA, ATF, State and City Police operating as a running violation of our Bill of Rights.
We have just reached the thick edge of the wedge. There is no gray area here. Those two cops who were shot were traitors to the Bill of Rights, as I guarantee, they, like their predecessors, even before the Patriot Act, enjoyed their elite illegitimate power over the rest of us.
The American nationals of the American race living under our Bill of Rights are the essence of the Republic. The LEOs of the police state are the exact opposite. They must be the enemy unless we are just going to acquiesce. And I don’t care how good a person is or was in their private life, when you join with the enemy, you are the enemy and ignorance is no excuse.
This is why all the stupid people who go along with this shit and make excuses for it are going to be expelled from this country, if they are the lucky ones who are not tried and hanged.
Tuskette, you really are a hibernating sheep. Ignorance of the law is no excuse? Excuse me, there are so many federal laws on the books, nobody knows for sure how many there are. How are you keeping up with them? Have you not heard of the book, “Three Felonies a Day”? The author details how normal hard working people commit at least three felonies per day simply going about their daily routines. Have you not read “Atlas Shrugged”? The source of this quote:
“There is no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is to crack down on criminals. When there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking the law. Create a nation of lawbreakers and then you can cash in on the guilt. Now that’s the system! ”
You are a felon, you are a law breaker and a criminal, now go turn yourself in because in your words you cannot abide any law breaking. At least once you are safely locked in a jail cell, you will be able to go back to sleep. IDIOT!
Marvin Banks and Calloway have been charged with two counts each of capital murder, and Curtis Banks is charged with two counts of accessory after the fact to capital murder. Marvis Banks was convicted of possession of stolen property in Forrest County in 2010, according to Mississippi Department of Corrections records. He was sentenced in November 2010 to one year and one day to serve, with four years of probation. His probation was revoked, and he started a three-year sentence that ended in June 2012, when he was freed from custody on earned release supervision. That ended in May 2014.
Both Marvin and Curtis Banks were charged with the sale of crack cocaine in July 2013, according to Forrest County arrest records.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/05/09/two-hattiesburg-police-officers-killed/27072893/
I think I’ll side with the LEOs on this one. These thugs that assassinated these two LEOs were already criminals. I’ll never understand how anyone can justify this type of behavior, Hatr, your handle suits you.
I’d like to shake their hands and buy ’em a beer. Hell, a whole case.
Damn shame those three didn’t take out more of those pigs that arrested them.
That would have been the icing on the cake!
So you DO support criminal behavior.
Thanks for playing.
Let me make one thing PERFECTLY CLEAR…
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I AIN’T PLAYIN’, B#TCH!!!
“… Hatr, your handle suits you.”
Thanks.
Coming from an obviously brain-dead good little communist slave, that could almost be construed as a borderline compliment.
Clearly you’re no angel…… did you’re mother teach you to disrespect the law or did you come by it naturally?
My mother was murdered by the so-called ‘medical establishment’ many years ago, so leave her out of it, you sorry POS.
Well, that little gesture is very mature. What are you, 12?
suspicion of speeding. those two porkers wont be sticking their noses in anyone else s bidness. no love for trifling pirates.
You need to grow up and get a little education.
Happy Mother’s Day. 🙂
Oh, you’re in for a SERIOUS F%&KING EDUCATION once the SHTF.
With your ignorance about who your enemy is, you’ll be dead within a month for sure. Either by the pigs, roaming gangs, Camp FEMA, or a .40 to the back of the head.
Like I said, you took a WRONG TURN coming to THIS site talking that poor pigs bullsh#t. Why don’t you just get the f%&k out of here, @sshole.
I do believe your stupid @ss is a TROLL!!!
I realize ‘s*it will hit the fan’….. but it’s certainly not because every single LEO in this country is bad.
It’s because we have a potus that has completely polarized this country and he continues to fuel the fire. His agenda is falling right into place.
Thanks for all the profanity again.
“Thanks for all the profanity again.”
You’re most welcome. The sad truth is I rarely use profanity in my comments these days.
I reserve it for exceptionally stupid people (and trolls), since it seems to be the one thing they can fathom.
NWO hatr,
I’m truly sorry for your loss of your mother. (again, nice deflection)
You lose all credibility by your use of profanity and deflection from the topic at hand.
I’ll be more than happy to have a discussion with you when you can stay on topic and stop with the profanity. It’s most unbecoming of you.
Have you ever commented here before? Just wondering. I mean, is this the first thread you’ve ever commented on here? Please answer, if you can.
Yes I have commented here before. But this is the first time I’ve been verbally attacked on this site for posting that my thoughts were with the families/Mothers of the Upstanding Police Officers Tate and Deen for being assassinated the day before Mother’s Day.
I’m very capable of having a civil discussion without all the profanity and insults.
You erroneously continue to state I’m off topic. The topic is 2 pigs being killed, and I’m ALL FOR IT.
Kindly enlighten us as to exactly HOW that is off topic.
Stupid claim.
Consider the source, however.
When you advocate more killings of LEO’s doesn’t that make you complicit to criminal behavior?
And yes, if you read some of your posts in reference to THIS article, you strayed or deflected several times.
When you advocate for those who are violating the people’s Bill of Rights at every level, right up to murder, you are a traitor.
Bye.
Here’s another one of your heroes…
http://www.fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/former-pasco-officer-tied-to-sexual-assault-now-linked-to-cold-case-murder/132308#comment-872797
Nice fella.
When will they learn to stop accosting the public? Stop it, and less cops die. Is revenuing for the CORPORATION worth risking you lives?
Maybe when ‘We The People’ get on the same page and realize that we need to rid this nation of a totalitarian government. I blame all of this on the Patriot Act……. We’ve been slowly conditioned to accept these government policies all in the name of ‘security’.
Hey, I’m on your side when it comes to these road checks etc, but this is the government’s doing. we have nearly 1 million LEOs in this country…. not all are bad. Believe it or not, the majority comply with their Job Descriptions.
“…we have nearly 1 million LEOs in this country…. not all are bad. Believe it or not, the majority comply with their Job Descriptions.”
NOT!!!
Every hear the word COMPLICITY???
“noun, plural complicities.
1.
the state of being an accomplice; partnership or involvement in wrongdoing:
complicity in a crime.”
Those pigs see corruption & illegal activities by other pigs on a daily basis. By NOT reporting these crimes, they are COMPLICIT by the definition of the word, which makes them just as CRIMINALLY LIABLE as those they’re COVERING UP FOR!!!
But you obviously don’t see this as a problem, which classifies you in my book as too stupid to have an intelligent conversation with.
Trolls usually have an agenda #1. I submit that tuskett is a government troll here to stir some $hit and spread some disinfo. This troll is a slippery one trying to cover his a$$ by saying, “Hey, I’m on your side when it comes to these roadblocks, ect.” What he says nothing about is the systematic abuse of minorities which has now spread out to reach anyone not rich enough to buy their way out. Now 2 get shot in retaliation for a lifetime of abuse and people cry out for the pigs.
Either a troll, or too stupid for words, Millard. I’m glad Henry finally aced him/her?
Wasted enough of my time.