Officers Recognized for Efforts to Bring Stressful Situation to Peaceful Ending

By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

OPD Sgt. Joe Bishop, left, and Investigator Marcus Wilson received commendations Tuesday night for talking a barricaded shooting suspect out of his house recently.
Photo provided by OPD

Two Oxford police officers were recognized Tuesday night at the Oxford Board of Aldermen meeting for their successful efforts to talk a shooting suspect out of his house without further incident recently.

On Dec. 16, at about 1:30 a.m. officers with the Oxford Police Department were called to Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in regards to a person with a non-life threatening gunshot wound.

Investigators responded at 2 a.m. Countryview Village off of Anchorage Road where the shooting suspect had barricaded themselves in their home.

Investigator Marcus Wilson and Sgt. Joe Bishop were the first on scene and established communication with the suspect. After more than two hours, the suspect surrendered without further incident.

“They did this by the book,” said OPD Chief Jeff McCutchen. “I wanted to commend them tonight for their professionalism, patience and empathy at that moment. It’s such a stressful time. I was standing there beside them and know the pressure they felt but the goal was to end it peacefully and they did.”

The two officers were presented with framed letters of commendation by McCutchen and received a standing ovation.