AG rules Adams County Sheriff’s deputies justified in use of force in July 2023 shooting

NATCHEZ — The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office has concluded that two Adams County Sheriff’s deputies were justified in their use of deadly force in shooting a suspect on July 16, 2023.

The deputies shot and killed Charoyd Henrence Bell, 43, of 564 Old Highway 84, No. 3, that day after Bell pointed a gun from his front porch and began shooting at the victim in the incident, who was standing beside the deputies.

One deputy was flagged down by a woman, later identified as Georgia Chatman, who ran into the roadway while they were patrolling the Old U.S. Highway 84 that Sunday morning.

Chatman told deputies that she had been kidnapped and assaulted by Bell, her on-and-off boyfriend, Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said at the time of the incident.

The deputy immediately called for backup and continued to talk with the victim, Chatman.

As the deputy was talking with Chatman, Bell approached the deputy and the victim, and Bell and the victim had more words with each other, Patten said. The deputy handling the scene was able to get Bell to go back in the yard while attempting to continue to interview Chatman.

Patten said by this time, a second deputy arrived on the scene. Patten said Bell walked from the area of his car and sat on the porch of the house as both deputies continued to interview Chatman.

“At approximately 10:09 a.m., deputies called out shots fired over their portable radios,” Patten said. “The suspect had grabbed a handgun, pointed at the victim who was standing next to both deputies and started shooting at the victim from his yard as he ran toward the victim and our deputies.”

The victim and the deputies took cover behind the patrol units as the suspect continued to shoot while advancing on their position, Patten said.

“As the suspect made his way around the rear of one of the patrol units, he continued to fire his weapon, shooting Chatman in the stomach. The deputy that was behind that patrol unit fell to the ground but was able to return fire as he was falling and hitting the suspect who then fell to the ground,” he said.

Adams County Chief Deputy Shane Daugherty said Wednesday the two deputies, who were not identified by the sheriff’s office, per protocol, were placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations.

“They were placed on paid administrative leave and made to go to counseling with a psychologist,” Daugherty said. “Once we received word from MBI that the shooting fell within the parameters of use of force per their investigation would not go further and got the OK from the psychologist, they returned to duty after a short time. That is our policy with anyone in the sheriff’s office who is involved in a critical incident.”

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