Five families from across Mississippi called for the release of investigative files and video evidence in officer-involved shootings that either killed or seriously injured their loved ones. Two press conferences -- one in Jackson, the other in Gulfport -- set the stage for their pleas Thursday.
GULFPORT, Miss. — Five families from across Mississippi called for the release of investigative files and video evidence in officer-involved shootings that either killed or seriously injured their loved ones.
Two press conferences -- one in Jackson, the other in Gulfport -- set the stage for their pleas Thursday. In front of the Harrison County Courthouse in Gulfport, Jason Simmons’ family expressed their need for closure almost a year after the 40-year-old was killed in a standoff with Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputies.
“Our biggest issue is the lack of transparency. We lost Jason almost a year ago,” Jason’s sister Ashley said during the press conference.
“It started off as a mental health crisis, and there were several decisions made that were questionable. And we’ve just gotten silence. And when you get silence, it leads you to your own speculation. We want to be able to view the video.
”On June 11, 2025, deputies with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Transport Division arrived at the Simmons’ family home on Turan Road to pick up Jason for a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation after his parents signed an affidavit against him. Cynthia Simmons, Jason’s mom, told WLOX News her son had suffered a psychotic episode. He was having delusions, she said, and he was constantly carrying around a .22 rifle because of his paranoia, including talking to people that weren’t actually there.
According to Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Jason opened fire on the transport deputies when they arrived that afternoon, then barricaded himself in a shed on the property. The Saucier man killed in a SWAT stand off was suffering from mental delusions; that's what his family told us today as they walked us through the crime scene. Noah Noble spoke with the man's parents, and was at the scene when the standoff came to a sudden end.
The Sheriff’s SWAT team and negotiators responded to the scene. For more than four hours, they pleaded with Jason to surrender himself peacefully. Shortly after 10 p.m., Jason was killed in an exchange of gunfire with deputies, state investigators said. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation took over the case, as is procedure in any officer-involved shooting that happens in the state.
Cynthia Simmons holding up a report from the coroner's office that shows areas of Jason's body treated by medical staff.
“I want those videos,” said Cynthia Simmons, Jason’s mom. “I want to see what happened. We need peace with that. We need to know.
”“The investigative file, as well as any body-worn camera footage, will be made available upon final disposition of this matter as has been our policy for several years,” the agency said in a statement.
“It’s tragic that a life was lost in this incident,” the Sheriff said. “But, I am confident in MBI’s ability to do a thorough investigation. ” According to the Mississippi Public Records Act, evidence such as body-worn camera footage is exempt from release when it is part of an ongoing investigation. Convicted Mobile kingpin’s sister-in-law sentenced for helping to hide gun, jewelry from agentsFatal accident closes section of westbound Airport Boulevard for hours
HARRISON COUNTY HARRISON COUNTY SHERIFF SWAT STANDOFF SHOOTING DEPUTY HARRISON COUNTY DEPUTY HARRISON COUNTY SWAT
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Ranking the Top 15 Individual Performances of the 2025 Falcons SeasonThere were several highs and lows to the Atlanta Falcons' 2025 NFL season, but we plucked out some individual highlights.
Read more »
Indianapolis 500 reserved seating sells out a week earlier than in 2025Reserved seating for the Indianapolis 500 on May 24 will be sold out for the second consecutive year, and the local television broadcast delay will be lifted again.
Read more »
Social media scams cost Americans $2.1 billion in 2025, FTC data showNew data from the FTC show social media was the costliest fraud contact method in 2025, with nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to a scam saying it started on social media.
Read more »
US overdose deaths fell again in 2025, but some worry about policy and drug supply changesAbout 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year — about 14% fewer than the previous year.
Read more »