After more than 20 hour standoff with police, suspect found dead in Mississippi home
Published 7:05 am Friday, June 11, 2021
After a nearly 24-hour standoff with police, a Mississippi man was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Biloxi police found John Anthony Little, 54, dead Thursday afternoon inside his mother’s home on Strangi Avenue.
After a more than 20 hour standoff with police, officers became concerned for Little’s wellbeing, due to not hearing or seeing movement by Little coming from the house.
Officers tried several strategies, outside the house to get Little to show movement or make noise. After these strategies failed, officers opened a window and attempted to get Little’s attention.
At approximately 3:30 p.m. officers entered the house, via a window, and observed the entrances to the house barricaded from within. Further investigation in the house disclosed Little, in the rear of the house, deceased from a single apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.
AMR was notified and responded and pronounced Little deceased.
The day before, officers responded to a 911 call about a person being shot in on Stennis Dr. Officers arrived and found the victim, allegedly shot by Little. The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was treated for a non-life threatening gunshot wound.
Officers then learned that Little allegedly kidnapped a woman and forced her to drive him to the area of Pass Rd. and Rodenberg Ave. A search of the area was conducted and officers were unable to locate Little.
At 4:48 p.m, officers located Little in the area of Division St. and Fountain Ln., walking down Division St., pointing a pistol at his own head. Little failed to heed officers’ orders to stop and walked to his mother’s residence, in the 300 block of Strangi Ave.
Little’s mother, who was on the telephone with Biloxi Police Dispatch at the time, was advised to leave the residence and she fled the house through the rear door. Little entered the house and locked the door.
During officers repeated attempts to get Little to leave the house, Little fired several shots in the direction of officers. Due to the danger to the public, a perimeter was established and police negotiators were called to the scene. During negotiations, Little again fired several shots in the direction of officers.
A full investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident is underway. Preliminary investigation disclosed no law enforcement officer fired their weapon during the standoff.