Officers in fatal Mississippi shooting placed on leave

JACKSON, Miss (AP) — The officers involved in the fatal shooting of a Mississippi man have been placed on administrative leave, the state Department of Public Safety announced Thursday.

The officers will be on leave until an internal investigation is completed and “they are approved to return to active service,” a spokesperson for the department said in a news release.

Jaylen Lewis, 25, was shot during an encounter Sunday night with officers of Mississippi’s Capitol Police force. The Capitol Police patrol areas around state government buildings and some other neighborhoods near downtown Jackson. According to the news release, the officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop when the shooting occurred.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is looking into the incident. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the Capitol Police are both divisions of the Department of Public Safety.

“An internal investigation into this incident is underway and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is conducting its own independent inquiry and will present its findings to the Attorney General’s office,” Commissioner Sean Tindell said. “Such incidents require a thorough investigation, scrutiny, and transparency. Therefore, any releasable information regarding this incident will be made public by the Department of Public Safety at the appropriate time.”