Man with suspicious device in his car shoots himself during Picayune traffic stop, chief says

The Biloxi bomb squad was called to the scene of a Picayune shooting after a man shot himself during a traffic stop and officers found a suspicious device inside of his vehicle, police said Wednesday night.

Picayune police were conducting a traffic stop outside of a restaurant near Highway 11 and Mitchell Street at 4:39 p.m., Picayune Police Chief Joe Quave told the Sun Herald.

Before police could make contact the driver, he fired off the gun, Quave said.

Police were giving him aid when they found the suspicious device, Quave said. That’s when the Biloxi police bomb squad was called in to secure the area.

The man was taken to a New Orleans hospital by ambulance and police evacuated the area until the bomb squad cleared the scene. The man died at the hospital and the device wound up being a homemade gun, Quave said.

Picayune police Capt. Rhonda Johnson said the area is now secure and residents can pass safely.

The man has not been identified by police and the incident is under investigation.

This story was originally published May 31, 2023 at 9:15 PM.