A Hinds County sheriff’s deputy is confirmed to have been killed in the line of duty over the weekend.
Sheriff Tyree Jones took to social media on Sunday night to announce that Martin Shields Jr., 37, was shot and killed while responding to a domestic call for service at a home on Midway Road in Terry. A Black male believed to be Eric Brown, 42, was also discovered dead inside the residence.
Martin Shields, Jr.-37 has been identified as the fallen HCSO deputy, tragically loss in the line of duty this evening. He’d been employed with the HCSO approx.9 months. His law enforcement career extends beyond being employed with the HCSO. Prayers for his family, friends and…
— TyreeJonesSheriff (@TyreeSheriff) February 24, 2025
As I get back home, bring the night to a close, and attempt to slumber for a few hours, I reflect on my evening and the last encounter I had with a fallen deputy, just minutes before his untimely death. Neither of us knew that when we shook hands and smiled on a call where we…
— TyreeJonesSheriff (@TyreeSheriff) February 24, 2025
At 7:19 p.m., Jones reported that deputies with the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office were on the scene of a “very serious situation” and that a SWAT team had been activated. One hour later, he issued a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) for Brown who was wanted for questioning in connection with the domestic call for service.
The BOLO was canceled at 9:07 p.m. as there did not appear to be an active threat involving Brown, per the sheriff. At 9:19, Jones notified the public that a deputy had been slain in the line of duty. Brown, according to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, is the suspected killer.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is assessing the fatal incident.
