MERIDIAN — A man suspected of killing a Mississippi police officer who was responding to a call about domestic violence has been arrested, authorities said Friday.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol said Dante Marquez Bender, 31, was taken into custody but didn’t provide additional details. He last seen Thursday afternoon in Meridian, where Officer Kennis Croom was fatally wounded while on duty.
A woman was shot to death before the officer, said Lauderdale Coroner Clayton Cobler, but officials didn’t immediately release her name or details of her death.
Bender was arrested in Ackerman, located about 80 miles (129 kilometers) north of Meridian, according to a post shared on social media by police there. Further details weren’t immediately available.
Originally from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Croom is part of a family connected to University of Alabama football that includes an uncle, Sylvester Croom, who was an assistant coach at Alabama and in the NFL and head coach at Mississippi State University.
Croom also was the son of ex-Tuscaloosa City Clerk Tracy Croom.
“It’s difficult to find the words to express how heartbreaking the loss of the life of this hero is,” said Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. “Officer Croom died a hero in the line of duty, serving and protecting the city of Meridian (Thursday) evening.”
Maddox said that he and Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley have chosen to treat the funeral of Kennis Croom, whose body is expected to be transported Friday afternoon back to Tuscaloosa, as if it was that for a Tuscaloosa police officer.
Kennis Croom, 30, worked with the Jackson Police Department previously and was honored by Tuscaloosa police in a statement shared on social media.
“Officer Croom served his community with bravery and selflessness. His sacrifice will not be forgotten,” Tuscaloosa police said.
TPD issued a statement on Facebook:
“Officer Croom served his community with bravery and selflessness. His sacrifice will not be forgotten.”
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The Tuscaloosa County Emergency Management Agency also posted about Croom on Twitter:
“With deep sadness, we mourn the line of duty death of Officer Kennis Croom, of the Meridian MS Police Department, brother of TCEMA Deputy Director Tamara Croom. The Croom Family asks that donations be made in Kennis’ honor to the Croom Family Foundation https://thecroomfoundation.com/donate.”
Authorities did not disclose specifics other than to say they were investigating an officer-involved shooting. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation statement said only that the officer and a “deceased female” were both found at the scene on a Meridian avenue.
Meridian, a city of more than 40,000, is about 95 miles west of Tuscaloosa.
