Mississippi officers cleared in shooting deaths of man, baby

BILOXI, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi grand jury has found no criminal fault by law enforcement officers in the shooting deaths of a Black man and his baby after a low-speed highway chase. Eric Smith and 3-month-old La’Mello Parker were killed in May 2021 after officers chased Smith on Interstate 10. Authorities say Smith was suspected of killing two people in Baker, Louisiana. Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell says Tuesday that Smith’s actions were “violent and reckless” and showed no regard for others. Tindell says at one point, Smith got out of his vehicle, held the baby to his chest and shot at officers.