“I was thinking I was going home”: Stone Co. deputy reflects on Dollar General shooting

STONE COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) - It all started as a domestic disturbance call.

Poplarville native Austin Arceneaux has served as a deputy for Stone County Sheriff’s Department for around two years. It was while responding to this call that Arceneaux found himself on the ground in a matter of seconds after being hit by gunfire at a Dollar General on Highway 49 in Perkinston.

However, less than three weeks after the deadly incident on March 10, the deputy is back on the job.

“A lot of times, calls are not what they come out as,” notes Deputy Arceneaux.

The term “officer down” is one that puts all law enforcement officials on edge. That term echoed over police scanners on March 10 in Stone County for an officer-involved shooting. The officer involved was Deputy Arceneaux, who was responding to a domestic disturbance at the grocery store.

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“When I was pulling in is when [the suspect] decided to fire at me,” he recalls. “At that point, I was thinking I was going home. That was in my mind. I’m going home.”

When he arrived, a suspect, now identified as 52-year-old Perry L. Stephens Jr. of Benndale, fired a gun at him. The deputy was struck in the face but returned fire, and a brief exchange of rounds followed. It’s believed that Stephens died due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“I was grazed right here by the bullet,” said Deputy Arceneaux, touching the side of his forehead. “I had some glass hit me [in my cheek], but that’s all healed up. [My face] swelled up pretty good from the inertia of the bullet.”

Stone County Sheriff Todd Stewart vividly remembers the moment he heard what had happened to the deputy.

“I actually was on duty that day when the call came out, and there’s no worse feeling in the world,” said Stone County Sheriff Todd Stewart. “God always has a hand in it, and [Arceneaux] was blessed that day and was being watched over by guardian angels.”

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“I definitely don’t ‘what if,’ that bullet did exactly what it was supposed to,” added Arceneaux. “I believe God guided it away from vital areas, and I thank God every day for it, sparing me.”

The incident is suspected to be a custody exchange gone awry. Another person, 44-year-old Kimberly D. Kennedy of Pass Christian, was also found dead at the scene. Her death is believed to be connected to Stephens.

“Our heart goes out to the family members and the kids especially,” said Stone County Sheriff Todd Stewart.

Deputy Arceneaux has since made his return to work with a lesson learned and a story to tell.

“I’m a bit more alert than I was, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” says Arceneaux. “I’m just taking it one day at a time and grateful to be here.”

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is still gathering evidence on the incident.

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