Crime

Coroner identifies Gulfport man shot and killed in alleged home invasion

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  • Gulfport police investigate Thursday home invasion that ended in fatal shooting
  • A man armed with hammer and knife attacked two women; one fired in defense
  • Suspect died; identity withheld pending next-of-kin notification, investigation continues

Gulfport police are investigating a homicide that occurred Thursday morning during an alleged home invasion at a residence in the 1700 block of 21st Street, authorities said.

Police received a 911 call about the break-in around 7:04 a.m., Lt. Jason Ducré said.

The shooting happened after a man, identified by Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer as Dangelo Rayjvon Murphy, 29, forced his way inside with a hammer and a knife and attacked two women who live in the home in an alleged act of domestic violence.

“As he gets in, they go to barricade themselves in a room,” Ducré said. “He starts slashing at them. One of the women had defensive wounds on her.”

While Murphy was trying to break into the room where the injured woman had taken shelter, the second woman retrieved a gun and shot him, Ducré said.

Dangelo Murphy
Dangelo Murphy Harrison County Sheriff’s Department

Murphy later died from his injuries, Switzer said.

Ducré said the man had been out of jail on bond at the time of the attack for allegedly kidnapping one of the women. Harrison County jail records show that Murphy was arrested on the offense on Oct. 10 and bonded out of jail 15 days later.

“It appears the women acted in self-defense,” Ducré said, though he noted the shooting remains under investigation.

This story was originally published December 11, 2025 at 1:19 PM.

Margaret Baker
Sun Herald
Margaret is an investigative reporter whose search for truth exposed corrupt sheriffs, a police chief and various jailers and led to the first prosecution of a federal hate crime for the murder of a transgendered person. She worked on the Sun Herald’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Hurricane Katrina team. When she pursues a big story, she is relentless.
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