Crime & Safety
Mississippi Police Officer From Tuscaloosa Killed In The Line Of Duty
Multiple agencies have confirmed that a Mississippi police officer originally from Tuscaloosa has been killed in the line of duty.
MERIDIAN, MS — The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is actively looking for a man suspected of killing a Meridian Police officer originally from Tuscaloosa, in addition to the murder of a woman earlier Thursday evening.
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Family confirmed on social media Thursday night that Kennis Croom was the officer killed. A career law enforcement officer who also served a stint with the Eutaw Police Department, Croom was less than a month shy of his 31st birthday.
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A search is currently underway for the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Dante Marquez Bender, with MBI alerting the public that he could possibly be in the area of Interstate 20 and Interstate 59 in Mississippi. One emergency alert sent out to the public stated Bender could possibly be traveling toward Newton County, Mississippi.
He is described at 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighing 299 pounds.
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Bender was last seen in the area of 21st Avenue in Meridian just after 5:30 p.m. Thursday evening. Investigators believe he is driving a 2004 black Nissan Armada.
According to Mississippi journalist Therese Apel of Darkhorse Press — an independent publication that closely covers law enforcement across the state — Croom also served in the Jackson Police Department and Brookhaven Police Department before making the move to Meridian.
Apel reports that that Bender is suspected of killing the woman on scene, and was allegedly about to kill four children on the scene when Croom reportedly stopped him from doing so. Bender is suspected of then shooting Croom and fleeing the scene.
Croom was in critical condition and ultimately airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
According to Steve Robertson, a sports journalist and author who closely covers Mississippi State University athletics, Kennis Croom is the nephew of former Alabama football star and MSU football coach Sylvester Croom.
This is a developing story. Tuscaloosa Patch will have more information as it comes available.
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