Georgia man drove car toward Gulfport officer before deadly shooting, police say
An early Saturday morning shooting involving a Gulfport police officer left one man dead, Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer confirmed.
Gulfport police released more details Monday afternoon. The department received multiple 911 calls from a home on 25th Street around 3 a.m. Saturday morning, Detective Jason DuCré said in the release.
As an officer walked toward the home, DuCré said, a car leaving the scene began to drive toward the officer, who fired his weapon, killing the driver.
Leonard Parker Jr., 53, of Covington, Georgia, was pronounced dead on scene, Switzer told the Sun Herald. His body was taken to taken to Jackson for an autopsy.
The district attorney’s office was notified by Gulfport police and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations and the Biloxi Police Department have taken over the investigation.
The officer involved has been placed on non-enforcement duties.
An earlier version of this story said the incident happened In the Bayou View neighborhood. This was corrected.
This story was originally published February 1, 2020 at 9:50 AM with the headline "Georgia man drove car toward Gulfport officer before deadly shooting, police say."