Community Mourns 2 Officers, Funerals Planned in Hattiesburg

Officers Liquori Tate, 25, and Benjamin Deen,34, were killed in the line of duty Saturday, May 9, 2015, while performing a routine traffic stop in Hattiesburg, Miss. A candlelight vigil for the men was held May 11.


SOUTH MISSISSIPPI  -- Officers from South Mississippi attended the vigil held Monday to honor and remember two Hattiesburg officers killed May 9 during a traffic stop.

Liquori Tate, 25, and Benjamin Deen, 34, were shot during a routine traffic stop on Fourth Street, and died shortly after arriving at Forrest County General Hospital for treatment to save their lives. Coroner Butch Benedict told media outlets that one officer was shot in the face and the other was shot in the back.

Four people were arrested Sunday in the deaths of the Hattiesburg officers. Marvin Banks, 26, and Joanie Calloway, 22, have been charged with capital murder. Curtis Banks, 29, has been charged with accessory after the fact for capital murder. Cornelius Clark has been charged with obstruction of justice. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is handling the case.

2 Hattiesburg officers killed; 4 suspects in custody
The Clarion-Ledger/May 11, 2015

Tate graduated from the Mississippi Police Academy in June 2014. He was a graduate of South Pike High and Southwest Mississippi Community College before joining the Hattiesburg Police Department.

"I graduated the Police Academy today. I am now a Police Officer. I would like to thank God, the Police Academy, the Police Department, my family, friends, and love ones." -- Liquori Tate/Facebook/June 11

Deen was a K-9 officer with the HPD, and had been named Officer of the Year in 2012.

Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree and Gov. Phil Bryant spoke during the vigil held Monday night to honor and remember the two officers.

Services for Deen have been set. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Wednesday at West Temple Baptist Church campus Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. at the church campus with a ceremony following at the Military Baptist Church Cemetery in Sumrall.

Funeral arrangements released for both fallen officers
WLOX TV-13/May 12, 2015 

Funeral arrangements for Tate include visitation from 5-8 p.m. Friday followed by the service at West Point Baptist Church on Hartfield Road in Hattiesburg. 

South Mississippi includes the six counties of Jackson, Harrison, Hancock, Pearl River, Stone and George, and is the location of the metropolitan area of Gulfport and Biloxi.