Meridian police officer from Tuscaloosa shot and killed in the line of duty

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - The suspect in the killings of a police officer and an unidentified woman in Mississippi has been taken into custody, Friday, officials said.

BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Earlier story below.

A manhunt is underway for a suspect wanted for the killing of a woman and a Mississippi police officer.

The Meridian police officer has been identified as Kennis Croom, a Tuscaloosa native. His family is well-known and respected in the area.

Croom was shot and killed while responding to a domestic situation Thursday afternoon.

Croom had been with the Meridian Police Department since October.

WBRC spoke with Tuscaloosa Police Department Deputy Chief and Tuscaloosa’s Fraternal Order of Police Lodge President Sebo Sanders about Croom. Sanders called the news of Croom’s death devastating. He said Croom interned at TPD while he was in college and showed an interest in getting into law enforcement.

“It’s sad, I’m very sad. And its heartbreaking when you got a young man who all his life he wanted to be in law enforcement. He was more like a nephew to me. Hearing that really disturbed me and hearing that it brings back memories of officer Dornell Cousette,” Sanders told WBRC.

Dornell Cousette was a Tuscaloosa police officer killed in the line of duty.

TPD offered condolences to Croom’s friends, family and fellow Meridian police officers with a Facebook post.

Officer Croom’s family asked on social media that in lieu of flowers, all donations be made to the Croom Foundation.

Bender was arrested Friday morning, June 10, 2022. Bender was taken into custody in the town of Ackerman, located about 80 miles north of Meridian, officials said.

Authorities say Bender previously worked as a police officer in Newton, Mississippi, Associated Press reported.

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