1 officer dead, 1 officer wounded during standoff in Brandon neighborhood

BRANDON, Miss. (WLBT) - A retired Ridgeland police chief who was working for the Madison Police Department was killed Thursday during a standoff in Brandon.

Horren Randy Tyler, a seven-year veteran with Madison, was killed after a hostage situation turned into a standoff. A second officer with the Brandon Police Department also received “significant injuries,” but is listed in stable condition.

The suspect, Gabriel Matthew Wilson, 22, is now dead.

Tyler was part of Madison’s Special Response Team and was responsible for overseeing the training of new officers. He also was a supervisor in the department’s Narcotics Division.

The standoff started around 1:20 a.m. on Terrapin Hill Road in the Crossgates neighborhood. The Brandon Police Department says the situation began as a domestic dispute between a man and a woman.

“At approximately 1:20 this morning, Brandon Police Department got phone calls about a subject trying to enter a home with two females,” Chief Wayne Dearman said. “They stated that he had a bullet-proof vest, handgun, and a rifle.”

When officers arrived, authorities say the man barricaded himself and took a woman hostage. One of the women escaped quickly, while the other woman remained inside for several more hours.

Police say after hours of negotiations, he agreed to let her go but he did not initially surrender.

“We did get some compromise from him, and as we gave him what he asked for, she was able to run out,” Dearman said. “She was checked out. She was uninjured.”

Wilson apparently asked for water and glue sticks. Assistant Chief Marshall Pack conducted negotiations with the suspect on the phone. Drones and other tools were used to check the location and condition of the suspect while he was in the house.

The first officer was shot shortly after 6 a.m. during an exchange of gunfire. The officer was taken to the University of Mississippi Medical Center where he was recently admitted to a room, Dearman told reporters.

The officer was wearing a bullet-proof vest, but the shot hit him in his left side.

“Pafford, Brandon Fire Department were on the scene and able to get him in an ambulance,” he said. “Without that resource being available to us immediately, we could be facing another loss of life. I’m grateful that we’re not.”

Numerous agencies responded to the scene, including Madison Police Department, Pearl Police Department, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, and others.

Wilson’s mother also came out to the scene to aid officers in ending the standoff. Officer Tyler was shot during another exchange around 9:30 a.m.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is handling the case.

Meanwhile, condolences are pouring in for Tyler and the Madison Police Department.

Governor Tate Reeves said in a statement, “All I’ll say right now is: pray for our law enforcement officers. Recognize their courage, sacrifice, and service. And please pray for these officers’ family and friends specifically today.”

Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said, “Our hearts and prayers are with the family, friends, and co-workers of fallen Madison PD SRT Officer Randy Tyler. May God be with the many lives he touched during this difficult time. We are grateful for his years-long service to his community, the state of MS, and our nation.”

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety is collecting donations to help support the family of Officer Tyler. Click here to donate.

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