A Hinds County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Deputy was fatally shot Sunday evening while answering a domestic call, leaving a community in mourning and a Sheriff praising his bravery. Sheriff Tyree Jones identified the fallen officer as 37-year-old Martin Shields, Jr., who died serving his duty in Terry, a small town southwest of Jackson.
At a glance:
- Deputy Martin Shields, Jr., 37, was killed responding to a domestic call on Midway Road.
- Sheriff Tyree Jones called Shields a “hero” who died aiding someone in need.
- A suspect, Eric Brown, 42, was sought; a man linked to the call was later found dead.
- Shields’ death is part of a grim weekend for law enforcement nationwide.
Duty Turns Deadly in Terry
Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones announced the loss of Deputy Martin Shields, Jr., via a Facebook post, revealing the 37-year-old was gunned down Sunday night in the 15000 block of Midway Road, Terry—about 15 miles southwest of Jackson. Shields, a nine-month veteran of the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office with prior roles at the Mississippi Department of Corrections and Jackson Police Department, was one of two deputies dispatched to the scene. Jones recounted hearing a fellow deputy radio “shots fired,” prompting his dash to the location. A “Be On the Lookout” alert named Eric Brown, 42, as wanted for questioning, labeling him armed and dangerous, though it was lifted before 10 p.m. when no threat remained. By 10:19 p.m., a post confirmed Shields’ death and noted an unidentified Black male, believed tied to the call, was found dead inside the home—his identity undisclosed.
Shields came from a law enforcement family; his father retired as an HCSO Captain, per the Jackson Fallen Firefighters Memorial Foundation. Jones, in a poignant early Monday tribute, shared they’d worked a capsized boat call together that day. “My heart sank as I rushed to the scene, not getting a response from the fallen Deputy,” he wrote, noting the other Deputy’s “heroic acts” in survival mode. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is assisting, with Fox News Digital seeking further comment from them and Jones.
A Hero’s Legacy Amid National Loss
Sheriff Jones honored Shields as a man who “died a hero,” stating, “He fulfilled his assignment and his God-given mission on earth.” He urged prayers for Shields’ family, friends, and the HCSO as they face “a final salute,” lamenting, “There’s absolutely no way I could ever imagine or prepare to tell a family their Deputy will not be coming home from their tour of duty.” Shields’ killing capped a brutal weekend for law enforcement, following the deaths of two Virginia Beach officers shot during a Friday night traffic stop and Pennsylvania Patrolman Andrew Duarte, killed Saturday at UPMC Memorial Hospital.
